Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council has updated the city’s Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2014 during its regular meeting on May 13.
The plan identifies projects and plans for preparing and responding to natural disasters.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires jurisdictions to adopt hazard mitigation plans to receive grant funds before or after natural disasters, said City Manager Craig Martin. The last update was completed in 2009.
As required, the city completed a review for the five-year update of the plan.
The Hazard Mitigation Committee, City Council and Planning Commission met, reviewed and revised the plan, which is available for review at the city’s website, sweet-home.or.us, or by visiting City Hall, 1140 12th Ave.
Present at the meeting were councilors Marybeth Angulo, Craig Fentiman, Mayor Jim Gourley, Bruce Hobbs, Scott McKee Jr. and Dave Trask. Greg Mahler was absent.
In other business, the council:
n Adopted a resolution to close 13th Avenue in front of the Sweet Home Public Library from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 25 and on July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 for the library’s Summer Reading Program, which features outdoor events each week.
The program takes place each Wednesday, beginning on June 25 through the end of July, promoting reading and fun summer activities, said Rose Peda, library director. “At times the programs may be large or have animals involved or have so many children attending that the building cannot facilitate the need.
In the past the programs have been held in the parking lot behind the building or in the alley north of the library. Neither allows easy access or visual promotions, Peda said.
Public access will still be available to the parking lot between City Hall and the library as well as the alley north of the library.
n Held the second reading the chronic nuisance property ordinance. The council will hold the third reading and decide whether to adopt the ordinance at its regular meeting on May 27.
n Agreed to enter a one-year contract with Grove, Mueller, Swank, PC, for auditing services at a cost of up to $25,000. The firm has served as the city’s auditor for several years.