Centralia and Lewis County have joined together to update a plan to make county government entities eligible for federal funding after flooding and other natural disasters.

    County and city officials will be holding public meetings this week to discuss an update to the Lewis County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and get an assessment of the plan’s status. The plan has to be updated every five years for the county and city governments to receive federal funding.

    Funding received will go to rebuild any of the nine communities, 16 school districts, eight fire districts or five medical facilities covered in the plan after potential disasters, and will also help prepare for environmental threats.

    Everything from flooding to extreme heat is marked off on a checklist of possible disasters each city could face.

    “We’re trying to get more input from the citizens and let them know what we’re thinking,” said Lewis County Emergency Management Deputy Director Ross McDowell. “We’re kind of close to everything, so it’s always nice to get an outside perspective.”

    Even though the plan will only include government buildings and structures, McDowell said it’s still important for people to attend the local meetings.

    “All the government buildings and all the stuff you pay taxes for belong to the citizens,” he said. “It’s just like their own house, and they should have an interest in their own house.”

    McDowell said there is “no way shape or form” the county could have recovered as much as it did after the 1996 and 2007 flood without federal funding.

    On top of citing dangers, the plan also names several mitigation strategies on how it can best minimize damage, from encouraging development outside flood areas to educating the public.

    Cooperation between Lewis County and Centralia will save money, cutting costs by about $130,000 over bidding out the work, according to Centralia Community Development Director Emil Pierson, who is coordinating the update. Lewis County will pay Centralia $75,000 to do the extra work required to complete the plan.

    Marqise Allen: (360) 807-8237