DeWitt County to receive $500k for flood, hazard mitigation

  • DeWitt County Judge Daryl Fowler holds up a map displaying flood zones Sept. 13. Photo by Hans Lammeman.
    DeWitt County Judge Daryl Fowler holds up a map displaying flood zones Sept. 13. Photo by Hans Lammeman.


     

    DeWitt County commissioners voted to accept an allocation of $500 thousand through the Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission (GCRPC) to reduce the risk of hurricanes, flooding and other hazards, during their Sept. 12 meeting.

     

    County Judge Daryl Fowler said the project stemmed from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey that flooded thousands of Texas homes more than five years ago. As amended, the Texas General Land Office allocated $80,317,000  to the Golden Crescent Region as part of the State of Texas Community Development Block Grant Mitigation Action Plan. 

     

    “The Golden Crescent was tasked to develop a method of distribution for the funding through the regional mitigation program,” read Fowler from a GCRPC letter. “DeWitt County is included as a potential recipient of funding in the preliminary amount of $500 thousand.”

     

    The GCRPC letter stipulated that at least 50% of funds allocated to each jurisdiction must benefit low-to-moderate income individuals. Fowler explained in a follow-up interview that participating jurisdictions would receive a minimum of the preliminary allocations, with the potential to increase funding if eligible jurisdictions decline grant funds. 

     

    Although the commissioners did not discuss planned expenditures for the funds, they voted in favor of the application and hoped to revisit potential projects at future meetings.

     

    “We can continue to develop more of a program on where this can best be put to place, but today all they’re asking for is the Commissioners Court’s acknowledgment and its acceptance of the funding through the regional mitigation program,” said Fowler prior to the court’s vote.

     

    DeWitt County is one of 26 county and city jurisdictions in the Golden Crescent Region eligible to receive a funding allotment; GCPRC determines funding for each jurisdiction through a number of variables including census population data, Composite Disaster Index data and the Social Vulnerability Index.

     

    Public hearing meetings concerning the program include Thursday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. at Hallettsville City Hall and Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m at Cuero City Hall. .

     

    Listed below are preliminary allocations to a few local entities:

     

    Entity

    Preliminary allocation*

    Percentage of total GCRPC allocation

    DeWitt County

    500,000.00

    0.62%

    Lavaca County 

    1,709,600.00

    2.13%

    City of Yoakum

    956,400.00

    1.19%

    City of Shiner

    500,000.00

    0.62%

    City of Hallettsville

    500,000.00

    0.62%

    City of Moulton

    500,000.00

    0.62%

    City of Cuero

    1,135,400.00 

    1.41%

    City of Victoria

    40,780,400.00

    50.77%

    *Rounded to nearest 100