Council approves submitting FEMA flood grant application

The Pierce County Council authorized the submitting of a grant application for federal funds related to maps showing where flooding may occur over a range of water levels in the county’s waterways.

The funds would come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The grant application that would be submitted seeks funding to support the development of flood inundation maps for Pierce County’s major river systems,” explained principal policy analyst Hugh Taylor at the Dec. 7 County Council meeting. “Pierce County is seeking grant funding of $800,000. The local match that is proposed is $266,667.”

The money would go toward communicating flood risks to the public, as well as emergency management. Taylor said the money would not be used for regulatory purposes.

In other business, the council approved using Conservation Futures Opportunity Account funds to reimburse Gig Harbor for up to $1.212 million of the city’s cost — $7 million — to acquire six parcels of land comprising nearly 24 acres known as the North Creek Salmon Heritage Site. The land is located between the Cushman Trail and Harborview Drive in downtown Gig Harbor, not far from the city-owned Donkey Creek Park.

The council adopted a behavioral health improvement plan. This continues the work from December 2020 when the council approved a one-tenth of 1 percent increase in the sales and use tax for behavioral health and therapeutic courts and creating a Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Fund.

The council increased the threshold for positions designated as unclassified in the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, going from 12 to 20 such employees. Classified employees are those subject to civil service rules, while unclassified workers are at-will.

The council confirmed the appointment of Larry Leveen to the Transportation Advisory Commission.