Montague County now has its hazard mitigation plan in place, which will provide expanded opportunities for federal and state assistance in the event of a disaster.
Members of the commissioner’s court approved the 300-page plan following a public hearing Monday morning prior to the regular court agenda. There were no public comments. Court members agreed they were glad it was finished and it had been quite a challenge. It will be updated in five years.
Montague County worked with nine other counties that each developed plans in a process coordinated by the Nortex Regional Planning Commission using a $500,000 grant. Each county provide a 25 percent match, much of which came in the form of planning participation.
This plan has been in the works almost two years and includes the county, its three incorporated cities of Bowie, Nocona and Saint Jo, Bowie, Saint Jo and Prairie Valley Independent School Districts. Projects included in the plan center on actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects. While these incident often stem from natural disasters, it also focuses on proactive efforts. To be eligible for many federal disaster relief and other funding programs an entity must have a mitigation plan in place.

Read the full story on Monday’s commissioner’s court meeting in the mid-week Bowie News.