Kalispell City Council to review regional hazard mitigation plan

Kalispell City Council will consider Monday a regional hazard mitigation plan to retain disaster aid eligibility.    

Council meets for the work session on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E.  

The 2024 Wester Montana Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan is meant to reduce long-term risks from natural disasters and serve as a “blueprint for coordinating and implementing hazard mitigation policies, programs and projects,” according to the document.   

Montana Disaster and Emergency Services in 2022 began developing regional hazard mitigation plans across the state. The base plan was approved by the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but localities must adopt county-specific plans. 

Columbia Falls and Whitefish have already adopted the Flathead County portion of the plan, but Kalispell has yet to follow suit.  

Adoption was postponed in April after Councilor Sid Daoud passed a motion to delay voting until he and his colleagues had enough time to read through the hefty document.  

Flathead County completed a hazard mitigation plan back in 2014, which the new document builds off.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@dailyinterlake.com.