August 12, 2024 |
Photo – FEMA Flood Map – Courtesy City of Rawlins
The Rawlins city council is squaring off against an immovable object—FEMA–over new federal flood insurance maps. In 2016, the Federal Emergency Management Agency began the process of updating flood plain maps across the country. The maps allegedly show properties that are vulnerable to a once in a century flood. Landowners in the flood plain must purchase insurance or be barred from receiving certain types of federal disaster assistance.
At last week’s Rawlins city council meeting, City Manager Tom Sarvey informed the governing body that FEMA has delivered the city’s finalized flood insurance maps. Sarvey invited the public to view the new maps in the Rawlins City Hall.
The new flood maps came with federal demands. Sarvey said FEMA requires the city to accept its findings and ensure residents purchase flood insurance. The city manager said the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security has prepared a long list of ordinance changes the city must adopt.
Councilman Chris Weisenburg asked Sarvey what would happen if the city refuses to accept FEMA’s new flood plain maps. Councilman Weisenburg said Ward One residents are most affected by the changes. The councilman said fighting the federal government is a costly and often futile process.
If the city ignores or rejects the new flood maps, Sarvey said the city will be excluded from all FEMA funding in the future. The city manager added that denying FEMA’s demands may put the city at risk of losing much needed federal funding sources.
Councilman Weisenburg said he wasn’t suggesting that the city should refuse to accept the flood maps. The council said his question was for the benefit of residents.
Mayor Terry Weickum asked Sarvey to arrange a public workshop. Mayor Weickum said the meeting will give the city council a chance to definitively answer residents’ questions about the new FEMA flood plain maps.
City Manager Sarvey said he’ll work on setting up a future public workshop to discuss the new FEMA flood plain maps.
If the city votes to adopt the federal government’s ordinances, residents in the flood plain will need to obtain flood insurance before December.
