NORWICH - Chenango County is currently updating its hazard mitigation plan for local communities and seeking feedback. The report will be a resource for local governments to qualify for certain federal and state disaster funding in the future.

Chenango County is accepting public comments through June 5.

The county updates the plan every five years. Each municipality needs a current plan to apply for specific types of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, though not all FEMA programs require one, explained Shane Butler, Director of the Chenango County Department of Planning and Development.

Rather than have each town and village complete the process alone, the county compiled all the municipalities into a single plan, which Butler said saves money and draws on county staff experience, since many municipalities lack the capacity or funds to do the work themselves.

Participation is voluntary, only Pitcher opted out of the plan.

Butler said the process of creating the plan includes collecting local information and completing worksheets. He said the materials are reviewed and later presented for adoption.

The plan matters to residents because hazards affect everyone, he said.

“Hazards impact us all, and local knowledge to specific hazard-prone areas is important to ensuring we know all potential areas that need to be mitigated,” said Butler. “Municipal leaders may have a different idea or perspective compared to the public so it’s good to get their input. It’s also important for the public to know what actions are, or should be, taken to mitigate potential hazards.”

For residents with only a few minutes to spend, Butler recommended turning to the section covering their own municipality, or the one they frequent most, since those are the hazards most likely to affect them.

"The Smithville annex probably won't mean much to someone living in Columbus unless they frequent one or the other," he said.

The plan costs $112,500, funded through a grant from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Of that total, $37,500 is met through in-kind staff and volunteer hours, a category that includes time municipalities and individuals spend submitting comments and attending meetings. The figure is in line with what the same consultant is charging neighboring Otsego County $110,335 for comparable work.

The county selected TetraTech as its consultant through a request-for-proposals process that drew several responses, choosing the firm for its combination of experience and cost. TetraTech also prepared the county's 2021 plan.

Some residents commenting online have flagged sections of the draft that reference other counties rather than Chenango. Butler said the comments have been forwarded to the consultant for review, and the county is looking into the matter.

Butler said the work was part of a broader effort to keep the county eligible for future opportunities.

"You never know what types of grants the federal or state governments may roll out that could benefit our county," he said, so the county wants to ensure that actions it might pursue later are already included in the plan.

The draft plan is posted on the county's website under the Planning and Development department. Residents do not need to read the entire document, said Butler, and can review only the sections relevant to them.

Comments are submitted through an online survey linked on that page, and questions can be directed to the planning department.