EDMONTON — Metcalfe County magistrates have opted not to enter the National Flood Insurance Program at this time, which could cost the county millions of dollars in grant funding in the event of a natural disaster.

The decision could keep them from receiving any Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

A motion was made at the magistrates’ March 9 meeting to approve the first reading of an ordinance to enter the program, but the motion died due to a lack of a second.

Magistrates discussed the issue in open session with Chris Hart, Kentucky floodplain coordinator, after meeting with him privatly for training, Judge-Executive Greg Wilson and county attorney Barry Gilley prior to the start of their regularly scheduled meeting.

Hart presented Wilson with a copy of the ordinance two months ago.

He explained it was a “bare bones minimum requirement” that is already required by the federal government and state statute.

The new flood plain maps become effective May 3, but government entities have up to one year to join NFIP. Although if something happens after May 3 and the maps are not approved, the county would lose at least some money.

If Metcalfe Fiscal Court doesn’t participate in NFIP, flood insurance will not be available in the county and financial assistance for the purchase of property or the construction of any structure in a flood hazard area will not be available.

“It’s going to take away pretty much any federally-backed loan,” Hart said.

FEMA only provides funds to counties in the event of natural disasters where the president declares the area a natural disaster. The last time that occurred in Metcalfe County was during the 2009 ice storm and a flood during the same month. 

“As I mentioned in the training, eventually all communities [will] join this program. It is inevitable that it will happen once you get the flood plain maps,” Hart said. “It may take a big flood or disaster to trigger getting into the program.”

If the fiscal court doesn’t join NFIP after a year has passed, it will no longer be eligible for Hazardous Mitigation Grant money.

Hart pointed out the maps will become effective regardless of whether a community adopts them.

“Let’s just say there was a flood in October 2010 and we don’t have this passed, are we still eligible and would the citizens still be eligible?” asked Wilson.

Hart said no.

“Once the maps go effective you’re not eligible. You’re just not considered sanctioned. What you have to do is get into the program to get the funds,” he said.

Metcalfe County has never participated in NFIP and has never had maps of the county showing where the flood hazard areas are.

“The city had a map for Edmonton and they have been in the program for years,” Hart said. “The county did not have flood plain maps so therefore you did not have flood plains identified in the county. That doesn’t mean you didn’t have flood plains in the county. Everybody knows where it floods, but they were never identified.”

He noted that the primary hazard in the state and across the nation is flooding.

“By adopting the ordinance you’re not going to require any more than what the state is already requiring,” he said. “You’ll just have to issue a local piece of paper that says you guys concur. That’s really all you’re doing, because the ordinance we provide is the same standard as the state statute.”