5.0 M​ITIGATION PLAN ADOPTION, IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE:
5.1 Overview
For a hazard mitigation plan to be effective, it has to be implemented gradually over time, as resources become available. An effective plan must also be continually evaluated and periodically updated. The mitigation Action Items included in the Shelton School District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan will be accomplished effectively only through a process which routinely incorporates logical thinking about hazards and cost-effective mitigation into ongoing decision making and capital improvement spending.
The following sections depict how the Shelton School District has adopted and will implement and maintain the vitality of the District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
5.2 Plan Adoption
This is the Shelton School District’s first Hazard Mitigation Plan, which became effective on Month XX, 2017, the date of adoption by the Shelton School District’s Board. The Board adopted the District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan following FEMA’s approval of the District’s submitted plan. The Board’s adoption resolution is shown on the following page.
INSERT a scan of Board Adoption Resolution when signed, example below may be edited or replaced with district appropriate titles and wording.
Board of Directors Resolution Adopting the Shelton School District
Hazard Mitigation Plan
Resolution Number 2017-X
A Resolution Adopting the 2017 Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Shelton School District resolves as follows:
Whereas, the Shelton School District has determined that it is in the best interest of the District to have an active hazard mitigation planning effort to reduce the long term risks from natural hazards to school facilities, and
Whereas, the Shelton School District recognizes that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires the district to have an approved hazard mitigation plan as a condition of applying for and receiving FEMA mitigation project grant funding.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Shelton School District as follows:
The Shelton School District adopts the 2017 Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Passed by the School Board on the XXth day of Month, 2017.
Insert signature(s) and title(s) below.
5.3 Implementation
Robert Herron, Director of Facilities Management & Construction, will have the lead responsibility for implementing the Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan, with ongoing support from the District Safety & Security Director, Maintenance & Operations Dept., the District Office of the Superintendent, the School Board of Directors and school district committees for planning and safety.
5.3.1 Existing Authorities, Policies, Programs, Resources and Capabilities
The Shelton School District and all school districts in Washington have much narrower domains of authorities than do cities and counties. The district’s responsibilities are limited to constructing and maintaining its facilities and providing educational services for the district’s students. The district’s authorities are limited to these two areas.
The district’s policies and programs related to hazard mitigation planning are limited to the criteria for siting new schools, design of new school buildings, maintenance of buildings and periodic modernization of buildings. The district’s resources for these programs include district staff involved with siting, construction, maintenance and modernization of schools, supplemented by contractor and consultants when needed.
The completion of the Shelton District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan has substantially raised the district’s awareness and knowledge of natural hazards. Consideration of natural hazards will be included in siting of new schools, the design of new school buildings. Furthermore, mitigation measures to reduce risks from natural hazards will be incorporated into maintenance and modernization of buildings whenever possible.
The Shelton School District has the necessary human resources to ensure that the Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan continues to be an actively used planning document. District staff has been active in the preparation of the Plan, and have gained an understating of the process and the desire to integrate the Plan into ongoing capital budget planning. Through this linkage, the District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan will be kept active and be a working document.
District staff has broad experience with planning and facilitation of community inputs. This broad experience is directly applicable to hazard mitigation planning and to implementation of mitigation projects. If specialized expertise is necessary for a particular project, the District will contract with a consulting firm on an as-needed basis.
Furthermore, recent earthquake and tsunami disasters worldwide serve as a reminder of need to maintain a high level of interest in evaluating and mitigating risk from natural disasters of all types. These events have kept the interest in hazard mitigation planning and implementation alive among the Shelton School District Board, District staff and in the communities served by the District.
To ensure efficient, effective and timely implementation of the identified mitigation action items, the Shelton School District will use the full range of its capabilities and resources and those of the community. The district’s goal is to implement as many of the elements of its mitigation strategy (Action Items) over the next five years as possible, commensurate with the extent of funding that becomes available. This effort will be led by the Superintendent with the full support of the School Board, and with outreach and cooperation with the community, the region and the state, especially with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Regulatory Tools (Ordinances and Codes)
· RCW 28A – Common School Provisions
· WAC Title 392 – Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Administrative Tools (Departments, Organizations, Programs)
Shelton School District Resources
· School Board
· Superintendent
· Parent Teacher Association
· Teachers Association/Union
· Safety committee
Regional and State Resources
· Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
· Washington State School Directors’ Association - WSSDA
· Washington Association of School Administrators - WASA
· Washington Association of School Business Officials – WASBO
· Washington Association of Maintenance and Operation Administrators - WAMOA
· Rapid Responder System, Education Service District 113
· Mason County Emergency Management, Manager, Ross McDowell
· Mason County Sheriff’s Dept., Sheriff Casey Salisbury
· Shelton Police Department, Police Chief, Darrin Moody
· Central Mason Fire District 5, Chief/Fire Marshal & Emergency Management Director, Michael Patti
· City of Shelton, Public Works Director, Craig Gregory
· City of Shelton, Building Dept. Director, Mark Ziegler
Other Technical Tools (Plans and Others)
Shelton School District Capabilities
· District Website
· Automated Telephone Announcement System (Auto Dialer)
· Evacuation Plan
· Lockdown Plan
· Fire Drills
· Earthquake Drills
· Bomb Threat Assessment Guide
· Emergency Response Plan
· Capital Facilities Plan
· Five Year Plan
· Strategic Plan
· Policies and Procedures
· Student Rights and Responsibilities
· District Safety Plan
· Social Media
Regional Capabilities
· Mason County Hazard Mitigation Plan and Emergency Response Plan
· City of Shelton Hazard Mitigation Plan and Emergency Response Plan
Fiscal Tools (Taxes, Bonds, Funds and Fees)
Shelton School District Capabilities
· Authority to Levy Taxes (conditional to codified law and voter approval)
· Authority to Issue Bonds (conditional to codified law and voter approval)
· Funds
o General Fund
o Capital Project Funds
o Debt Service Fund
o Transportation Vehicle Fund
o Trust Fund
o Booster Funds
· External Funds
o OSPI School Construction Assistance Program Modernization / New in Lieu
o FEMA Grants
o HUD “CDBG” Grants
o Foundation Grants
o Legislative Funding/Grants
o Other Grants
5.3.2 Integration into Ongoing Programs
As noted above, the Shelton School District’s ongoing programs are more narrowly defined than those for cities and counties.
An important aspect of the Plan’s integration into ongoing programs will be the inclusions of the mitigation plan’s hazard, vulnerability and risk evaluations and mitigation Action Items, into ongoing capital improvement planning and other district activities, such as building maintenance, periodic remodeling or modernization of facilities and future siting and construction of new facilities.
For example, in evaluating a possible remodeling or modernization of buildings, the district will consider include retrofits to reduce the vulnerability to natural hazards as well as considering other alternatives such as replacement with a new building, when the retrofit is very expensive or a site has substantial risks from natural hazards that cannot be mitigated on the existing site.
5.3.3 Prioritization of Mitigation Projects
Prioritization of future mitigation projects within the Shelton School District requires flexibility because of varying types of projects, District needs and availability funding sources. Prioritized mitigation Action Items developed during the mitigation planning process is summarized in Chapter 4. Additional mitigation Action Items or revisions to the initial Action Items are likely in the future. The Shelton School District Board will make final decisions about implementation and priorities with inputs from district staff, the mitigation planning team, the public and other stakeholders.
The Shelton School District’s prioritization of mitigation projects will include the following factors:
1. The mission statement and goals in the Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan including:
Goal 1: Reduce Threats to Life Safety,
Goal 2: Reduce Damage to District Facilities, Economic Losses and Disruption of the District’s Services,
Goal 3: Enhance Emergency Planning, Disaster Response and Disaster Recovery, and
Goal 4: Increase Awareness and Understanding of Natural Hazards and Mitigation
2. Benefit-cost analysis to ensure that mitigation projects are cost effective, with benefit exceeding the costs.
3. The STAPLEE process to ensure that mitigation Action Items under consideration for implementation meet the needs and objectives of the District, its communities, and citizens, by considering the social, technical, administrative, political, economic and environmental aspects of potential projects.
Cost Effectiveness of Mitigation Projects
As the Shelton School District considers whether or not to undertake specific mitigation projects or evaluate how to decide between competing mitigation projects, they must address questions that don't always have obvious answers, such as:
What is the nature of the hazard problem?
How frequent and how severe are the hazard events of concern?
Do we want to undertake mitigation measures?
What mitigation measures are feasible, appropriate, and affordable?
How do we prioritize between competing mitigation projects?
Are our mitigation projects likely to be eligible for FEMA funding?
The Shelton School District recognizes that benefit-cost analysis is a powerful tool that can help provide solid, defensible answers to these difficult socio-political-economic-engineering questions. Benefit-cost analysis is required for all FEMA-funded mitigation projects, under both pre-disaster and post-disaster mitigation programs.
However, regardless of whether or not FEMA funding is involved, benefit-cost analysis provides a sound basis for evaluating and prioritizing possible mitigation projects for any natural hazard. Thus, the district will use benefit-cost analysis and related economic tools, such as cost-effectiveness evaluation, to the extent practicable in prioritizing and implementing mitigation actions.
STAPLEE Process
The Shelton School District will also use the STAPLEE methodology to evaluate projects based on the Social, Technical, Administrative, Political, Legal, Economic, and Environmental (STAPLEE) considerations and opportunities for implementing particular mitigation action items in the district. The STAPLEE approach is helpful for doing a quick analysis of the feasibility of proposed mitigation projects.
The following paragraphs outline the district’s STAPLEE Approach
Social:
• Is the proposed action socially acceptable to the community?
• Are there equity issues involved that would mean that one segment of the community is treated unfairly?
• Will the action cause social disruption?
Technical:
• Will the proposed action work?
• Will it create more problems than it solves?
• Does it solve a problem or only a symptom?
• Is it the most useful action in light of other goals?
Administrative:
• Is the action implementable?
• Is there someone to coordinate and lead the effort?
• Is there sufficient funding, staff, and technical support available?
• Are there ongoing administrative requirements that need to be met?
Political:
• Is the action politically acceptable?
• Is there public support both to implement and to maintain the project?
Legal: Include legal counsel, land use planners, and risk managers in this discussion.
• Who is authorized to implement the proposed action?
• Is there a clear legal basis or precedent for this activity?
• Will the district be liable for action or lack of action?
• Will the activity be challenged?
Economic:
• What are the costs and benefits of this action?
• Do the benefits exceed the costs?
• Are initial, maintenance, and administrative costs taken into account?
• Has funding been secured for the proposed action? If not, what are the potential funding sources (public, non-profit, and private)?
• How will this action affect the fiscal capability of the district?
• What burden will this action place on the tax base or economy?
• What are the budget and revenue effects of this activity?
Environmental:
• How will the action impact the environment?
• Will the action need environmental regulatory approvals?
• Will it meet local and state regulatory requirements?
• Are endangered or threatened species likely to be affected?
5.4 Plan Maintenance and Periodic Updating
5.4.1 Periodic Monitoring, Evaluating and Updating
Monitoring the Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan is an ongoing, long-term effort. An important aspect of monitoring is a continual process of ensuring that mitigation Action Items are compatible with the goals, objectives, and priorities established during the development of the District’s Mitigation Plan. The District has developed a process for regularly reviewing and updating the Hazard Mitigation Plan. As noted previously, the District Facilities Manager will have the lead responsibility for implementing the Shelton School District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan and for periodic monitoring, evaluating and updating of the Plan. There will be ample opportunities to incorporate mitigation planning into ongoing activities and to seek grant support for specific mitigation projects.
The Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan will be reviewed annually as well as after any significant disaster event affecting the District. These reviews will determine whether there have been any significant changes in the understanding of hazards, vulnerability and risk or any significant changes in goals, objectives and Action Items.
These reviews will provide opportunities to incorporate new information into the Mitigation Plan, remove outdated items and document completed Action Items. This will also be the time to recognize the success of the District in implementing Action Items contained in the Plan. Annual reviews will also focus on identifying potential funding sources for the implementation of mitigation Action Items.
The periodic monitoring, evaluation and updating will assess whether or not, and to what extent, the following questions are applicable:
- Do the plans goals, objectives and action items still address current and future expected conditions?
- Do the mitigation Action Items accurately reflect the District’s current conditions and mitigation priorities?
- Have the technical hazard, vulnerability and risk data been updated or changed?
- Are current resources adequate for implanting the District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan? If not are there other resources that may be available?
- Are there any problems or impediments to implementation? If so, what are the solutions?
- Have other agencies, partners, and the public participated as anticipated? If no, what measures can be taken to facilitate participation?
- Have there been changes in federal and/or state laws pertaining to hazard mitigation in the District?
- Have the FEMA requirements for the maintenance and updating of hazard mitigation plans changed?
- What can the District learn from declared federal and/or state hazard events in other Washington school districts that share similar characteristics to the Shelton School District, such as vulnerabilities to earthquakes and tsunamis?
- How have previously implemented mitigation measures performed in recent hazard events? This may include assessment of mitigation Action Items similar to those contained in the District’s Mitigation Plan, but where hazard events occurred outside of the District.
The School District will review the results of these mitigation plan assessments, identify corrective actions and make recommendations, if necessary, to the Shelton School Board for actions that may be necessary to bring the Hazard Mitigation Plan back into conformance with the stated goals and objectives. Any major revisions of the Hazard Mitigation Plan will be taken to the Board for formal approval as part of the District’s ongoing mitigation plan implementation.
The Facilities Director (or other assigned by School Board) will have lead responsibility for the formal updates of the Hazard Mitigation Plan every five years. The formal update process will be initiated at least one year before the five-year anniversary of FEMA approval of the Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan, to allow ample time for robust participation by stakeholders and the public and for updating data, maps, goals, objectives and Action Items.
5.4.2 Continued Public Involvement and Participation
Implementation of the mitigation actions identified in the Plan must continue to engage the entire community. Continued public involvement will be an integral part of the ongoing process of incorporating mitigation planning into land use planning, zoning, and capital improvement plans and related activities within the communities served by the District . In addition, the District will expand communications and joint efforts between the District and emergency management activities in the cities of Shelton and Mason County.
The 2017 Shelton School District Hazard Mitigation Plan will be available on the District’s website and hard copies will be placed in the school and public libraries. The existence and locations of these hard copies will be posted on the District’s website along with contact information so that people can direct comments, suggestions and concerns to the appropriate staff.
The Shelton School District is committed to involving the public directly in the ongoing review and updating of the Hazard Mitigation Plan. This public involvement process will include public participation in the monitoring, evaluation and updating processes outlined in the previous section. Public involvement will intensify as the next 5-year update process is begun and completed.
A press release requesting public comments will be issued after each major update and also whenever additional public inputs are deemed necessary. The press release will direct people to the website and other locations where the public can review proposed updated versions of the Shelton School District’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. This process will provide the public with accessible and effective means to express their concerns, opinions, ideas about any updates/changes that are proposed to the Mitigation Plan. The District will ensure that the resources are available to publicize the press releases and maintain public participation through web pages, social media, newsletters and newspapers.