Morgan and Scott Counties Update Hazard Mitigation Plans, Seek Grants

Officials announced Dec. 2 that the Morgan and Scott Counties Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee will meet at 2 p.m. on Dec. 16 at the Jacksonville Municipal Building, 200 W. Douglas Ave. The joint committee has been meeting since September to revise natural hazard mitigation plans for participating jurisdictions in both counties.

The meeting will focus on preventive measures rather than response actions. Phil McCarty, director of the Jacksonville Morgan County Office of Emergency Management, said the effort is about “identifying preventive steps that can be taken to reduce the dollar damages as well as protect public health before a natural hazard event occurs,” and he framed the work as distinct from post disaster response. “Other emergency plans are directed at responding after a storm or disaster strikes,” McCarty said. "With these plans, we will identify actions that can be taken to reduce damages caused by natural hazards for each participating jurisdiction before they occur. These plans also help assure each participating jurisdiction in each county is eligible to receive federal grant money for mitigation projects."

The planning effort comes amid a long history of storms and disasters in the region. Morgan and Scott counties have recorded 20 emergency and federal disaster declarations since 1973, with recent declarations in 2023 and earlier this year tied to severe storms that produced extensive local damage. Committee members say updated mitigation plans are intended to make grant applications more competitive and to steer money toward projects that reduce future taxpayer and homeowner losses.

Typical mitigation options under consideration include building community safe rooms, acquiring flood prone properties, resolving chronic drainage problems, retrofitting critical infrastructure to better withstand storms, installing backup power supplies, and expanding public information and preparedness materials. For residents, approved projects can mean fewer disruptions to utilities and lower repair costs after major events, along with clearer guidance on local priorities for hazard reduction.

The Dec. 16 meeting offers residents and local officials a chance to review proposed measures and to influence priorities before applications for federal mitigation funds are submitted.