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  • Dickinson Co. Supervisors Approve New Flood Plain Ordinance; Discuss New Radio System

Dickinson Co. Supervisors Approve New Flood Plain Ordinance; Discuss New Radio System

September 13, 2022 Steve Schwaller

(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors today (Tues.) adopted a new flood plain ordinance and maps. The action followed a public hearing that drew no comment. David Kohlhaase, the county’s Zoning Coordinator, also serves as flood plain manager. He told the supervisors the new maps address a number of concerns previously expressed by residents…

“I can just tell you over the years, the public’s comments have been, I am in the flood plain, why am I in the flood plain, and again it goes back to those maps being very poor. The problem is if you’re in the flood plain and were in the program, they could get insurance. If you’re not in the flood plain program these people that are in the flood plain, they either have to go through, well, basically they can’t get insurance and it’s like Lourdes of London, etcetera, and it basically becomes very costly. So I think the program has gone a complete 360 with these new maps. Our existing ordinance will go away and this new ordinance, like I said, it’s pretty much the recommended ordinance that FEMA and the DNR has given us to basically copy from.”

Kohlhaase adds the new ordinance and flood plain maps will go into effect September 29th.

The supervisors also today (Tues.) discussed a possible multi million dollar upgrade of the county’s radio system. The new system being proposed would be compatible with what’s known as the Iowa Interoperable Communications System. But it would come at a cost of $5.5 million for new equipment and radios, plus another $841,000 in service fees. Jarod Fisher helps oversee operations of the Dickinson County Communications Center. He says with the current system, there are areas of the county with poor coverage making it very difficult to communicate with deputies and first responders…

“There is definitely the safety issues. As dispatchers we have to make sure our people are going home safe, and that’s for everybody. Police, Fire, EMS, are essential people, and that’s our job. And communications is the first thing that happens on an incident. We take the call, we start the call, and guess what? We’ve got to start telling people where to go, what to do, and vice versa, if they need resources.”

Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Ehret adds the volume of calls coming into the Dickinson County Communications Center only continues to increase…

“Calls for service, in 2006 we had 11,388. 2015, 13,609. Last year, 2021, we had 19,186. So we’ve gone from a little over 11,000 calls for service in 2006 to 19,000 now, last year.”

The supervisors took no action on the matter today (Tues.) saying they want more information into the possibility of bonding for the money. They’ll take it up again at next week’s meeting.

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