City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
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Consideration of Acceptance of a Grant Award From the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) in the Amount of $25, 611 for the City's Stream Monitoring System.
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ISSUE: City Council consideration of accepting funds in the amount of $25,611 available to the City for a period ending July 30, 2015, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. These funds will provide additional warning devices to be added to the City's Stream Monitoring System that will be installed on S. Pickett Street.
RECOMMENDATION:
(1) Authorize the City Manager to accept the funding through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management in the amount of $25,611; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required.
DISCUSSION: The City was notified on August 5, 2013 by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management that the City was approved for a hazard mitigation grant totaling $34,148 to extend our Stream Monitoring System. FEMA will provide $25,611 towards the project and the City is responsible for the remainder of the cost. The grant match of $8,537 will be paid from the Fire Department's operating budget. The grant period of performance ends on July 30, 2015.
BACKGROUND: The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides hazard mitigation grants to states following Presidential declared disasters. These competitive grants are designed to mitigate the effects from a disaster or assist in warning the community. Alexandria applied for and was awarded a grant to extend the City's warning capability of the Stream Monitoring System in the area of S. Picket Street that has reoccurring flash flooding. These grant funds will allow for the purchase and installation of warning lights and signs that are automatically triggered by the Stream Monitoring System when water has risen to potentially dangerous levels from Backlick Run near the intersections of S. Pickett Street and Van Dorn Streets and along Pickett Street to Edsall Road. The exact placement of the devices and signs will be coordinated with The Department of Transportation and Environmental Services. .
FISCAL IMPACT: The City must provide $8,537 of general funds for this program. These funds have already been identified within the Fire Department's operating budget. City staff will administer the grant. The City is responsible for the normal administrative costs associated with this grant, including financial and reporting oversight provided by the Fire Department, as well as the Office of Management and Budget, and the Finance Department.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Stream monitoring system map
Attachment 2 - Stream warning station picture
STAFF:
Michele Evans, Deputy City Manager
Mark Penn, Emergency Management Coordinator
Yon Lambert, Deputy Director/Operations Transportation and Environmental Services.
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