City of Belle is non-compliance with hazard mitigation requirements

Sirens did not sound on Saturday

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 4/19/23

BELLE — Belle Aldermen James (Pudd) Mitchell added the city’s non-compliance with hazard mitigation requirements to the Monday special meeting, adding that it affects the town’s …

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City of Belle is non-compliance with hazard mitigation requirements

Sirens did not sound on Saturday

Posted

BELLE — Belle Aldermen James (Pudd) Mitchell added the city’s non-compliance with hazard mitigation requirements to the Monday special meeting, adding that it affects the town’s ability to receive emergency funds in events of natural disaster such as Saturday’s storm. Citizens also expressed concerns that the city’s sirens didn’t go off on Saturday.

“We are out of compliance on that,” Mitchell said. “We have been paying somebody to keep us in compliance and it’s not happenin’. Steve Vogt has told me if we have a major catastrophe we would receive no help or federal, from nobody,” Mitchell said. “After what happened this weekend, I think this needs to be addressed and addressed now. That is just my opinion.”

Mitchell said he didn’t know the answer.

“Just think if that would have come through Belle and tore down the buildings we’ve got here, we wouldn’t have gotten no federal help at all,” Mitchell said.

City Treasurer Charro Reasor said she is confused why the city is not in compliance with hazard mitigation requirements.

“I have been in contact FEMA over the last few months and I have set up where I am the point of contact for the FEMA Portal,” Reasor began. “He made it clear that we didn’t have an active point-of-contact, but putting me on as an authorized user that we are active with FEMA.”

Reasor said she has also been in contact with SEMA and the other one is federal. Mitchell said Vogt told him they are not compliant.

Alderman Jeanette Struemph said in the past the board has always gone through the Emergency Management Director. The city pays Fire Chief Dwight Francis to perform the job as Emergency Management Director.

“We always had an emergency response and it was set up who would do what and where would we go,” she said. “It was a system and it has to be made available to the public so people are made aware that the disaster — what we need to do,”

Alderman Barb Howarth asked if it would help to bring in the emergency management director to discuss his responsibility.

Mayor Daryl White, Jr., asked why the plan has changed. Struemph said the contact person may have changed and asked who opens the Belle-Bland Community Center for shelter in times of crisis. White said the police department does.

Tony Baretich, Public Works Director, said they are referring to an emergency management plan.

“We are still available to receive assistance if something major happens,” Baretich said. “They are not just going to turn their back and forget about us, but the problem is on the back-end of recovery is finances and funding and that stuff. If we’re not showing the preparation, we are not gonna see that. But yes, if something were to happen, SEMA, FEMA, Red Cross would do their thing. The problem is the clean up and rebuilding side and if their is any federal dollars in that.”

Baretich said there are courses that must be taken on the computer by the Belle mayor and aldermen as well as first responders.

“It is not that they are not going to show up, but more on the aftermath side,” Baretich said.

Mitchell said he is going off of Vogt who was mayor for a lot of years.

“There is something that is required for all council members to take in order to be compliant,” Baretich said. “Emergency management director typically takes care of that.”

Struemph said that Francis is paid $500 a month to keep the city in compliance.

Mitchell asked if all department heads should be at the city meetings. White said Francis isn’t a department head, he is a contracted employee.

Struemph agreed that all department heads are supposed to be at the meeting. White made his case that White is not a department head either.

“It goes back to what happened Saturday,” Mitchell said. “No sirens went off.”

“They didn’t, did they,” Howarth asked.

Reasor asked who is in charge of the sirens, and White said the county, according to state statute. However, later in the meeting City Clerk Frankie Horstman said the city owns the sirens.

“I did contact (Dwight Francis) on Saturday and he said that he did set them off and they did work the last time they was tested,” White said. “Jerry (Coborn, marshal) said that they was set off but the way stuff was happening the area of being able to hear it was off.”

White said Maries County contacted him Saturday.

“I know you guys think this is something I do, but this has never been part of the city or anything,” White said. “Maries County contacted me.”

Mitchell said people were throwing fits on Saturday about the sirens not working. Struemph said previously when they sat through emergency management training they learned about policies and procedures.

“Sirens get tested monthly, right,” Mitchell asked.

Horstman said they are tested the first Monday of the month.

“They went off last Monday,” Struemph said.

Alderman Adam Padgett agreed they were being tested.

“The last I knew Dispatch set them off and Dwight (Francis) and Nathan (Abel) could set them off on their handhelds,” Horstman said. “That’s when they were affiliated with the city. I don’t know what it is now.”

White said he contacted Francis and Saturday and Francis said the sirens had just been set off.

“It is very possible we have a rotational siren,” Baretich said. “It could have been overpowered or only gone one direction.”

Struemph said they did get alerts on their phones for enough people to take cover.

“If they did go off, surely someone would have heard them hear in town,” Mitchell said.

Padgett said they needed to test the sirens and the board needs to take the training.

Horstman said if the sirens are county property, why is the city of Belle paying for the repairs?

“Maries County currently owns two, one in Vienna and one in Belle,” White said. “Sirens have a range for a half-mile and during thunderstorms they might not be heard that far.”

White said Coborn gave him a link to the information on a state page. Previously it was dispatch and the fire chief who set off alarms.

Baretich added that unfortunately the storm may have interfered with the radio tower used to communicated with the sirens.

“Nobody heard ‘em,” Mitchell said referring to the sirens.

“Dwight says the city owns it,” Horstman said.

White suggested adding setting off the sirens to the marshal’s channel too,” White said.

Baretich said the police department and fire department have two differernt radios that aren’t competible.

White said Maries County Deputy Chief Scott John had sent him a text notifying him to set off the alarms. Maries County Dispatch can’t set off the alarm as they no longer dispatch for the town.

“We need to get this taken care of,” Mitchell said.

White said he would arrange a meeting with Francis as soon as they left the meeting.