LA CROSSE COUNTY

LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE (LEPC) MEETING

March 19, 2008

Administrative Center, Room 3220

9:00 am

CALL TO ORDER

Pat Smith, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 am

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion by Al Blencoe/Ron Berg to approve the January 16, 2008 meeting minutes.  Motion carried.  

PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM 

Many Counties have joined with others.  Joint discussions with Minnesota took place but they have no money to offer.  Everyone is tied up or overwhelmed with what they are doing.  Once the program is up and running, we don’t know what will happen in the future as there is no further money planned. 

Al Graewin – How do businesses continue to run if a disaster would occur and their facility was destroyed?  Al spoke of a workshop that was held at the Radisson which was the same subject as this.  Continuity planning process has been thought of and has been planned somewhat.  Al’s proposal is to submit the application.  Develop a plan with a contingency plans.  Emergency Management would submit the application with the funding going to the health department for implementation.  The full $25,000 would be applied for.  A SUMMARY IS ATTACHED.  This would be staffed internally.  As the grant is only for $25,000 a consultant will not be hired.  They would talk to local experts and different organizations for the planning portion of the grant.  Phil is concerned that this could grow beyond their means and they could be getting into the disaster planning business.  David Duecker had mentioned that for further funding, the private sector would perpetuate it.  Becoming 501 (c)(3) group to obtain donations etc. to continue the program. 

Gregg feels that we should focus on the smaller to medium size businesses.  How do we sustain this effort is the big question.  Once the plans are in place, the plan then needs to be exercised.  Keith Butler does not feel this will be a burden to the EM office if the fiscal area is handled by the Public Health.  MOTION made by Gregg/Al Blencoe to approval Al Graewin’s request.  Gregg would like to see this plan continue to be updated through this Committee to review the final product.  Al Blencoe said that we should give them the ability to run with it with suggestions from the Committee.  MOTION CARRIED.

ALL HAZARDS MITIGATION PLAN PROJECT UPDATE

Dave has the final draft.  Sent to Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and they have approved it pending the adoption by the individual municipalities and the County Board.  We will then send it to WEM again and they will forward it to FEMA for the final approval.  Projects can still be added to the plan until the municipalities actually adopt it.  Because of the Presidential Declaration we have one year from declaration date to apply for additional money through FEMA. If one municipality does not move quick enough or decide and this plan is not adopted this will not change the plan, and it can be approved anyway.  We will also be putting this through Judiciary and Law Committee.  Vicki will put it on the agenda.  A copy will be available through Keith Butler’s office. 

FIRE DEPARTMENT QUARTERLY REPORT

Gregg explained some of the items on the written report. 

OJA MASS CASUALTY SUPPLY CACHE

Memorandum of Understanding made it through the County process.  And it has now been sent back to Office of Justice Assistance (OJA).  As far as we know equipment has not been delivered, but we are on-line to receive this. 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Bob did a presentation a few months ago on ChemPacks.  A process for the distribution of this is underway.

COMMUNICATIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Last night Mark met with a panel of experts on invasive species.  There are two types of disasters, chronic and acute.  This is a chronic disaster, it’s going to be coming, there have been people hurt and killed by these invasive (terrorist) species.  They are trying to get laws changed on how diseases are brought in from State to State or from out of the country before they are brought in.  Instead of fixing a problem once a disease is here.

Phil asked if there was going to be a student fire academy in the summer?  Phil just wants to recommend that people should go to it.  You will get a whole new perspective on what the fire department does. 

Vernon County has a new EM coordinator - Jerry Crotensberg.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

1^st Quarterly report for the Hazmat Team

ADJOURNMENT:

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:58 am.

The above minutes may be approved, amended, or corrected at the next Committee Meeting.

Kim Olson, Recorder