Orion Township Trustee Richard Tomczak wants citizens in Orion Township to have the same opportunities their neighbors in Oakland Township has when it comes to getting federal flood insurance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Tomczak presented a request to fellow board members at the June 7 meeting, asking for the creation of a committee to explore federal and state laws to allow for residents to apply for flood insurance from FEMA.
The board agreed to have a committee made of Tomczak and trustee Michael Gingell investigate the request, including possible costs, using resources from the township building department and engineers Orchard, Hiltz and McCliment, and report back to the board.
‘There’s a high price for individual flood insurance from an insurance company,? said Tomczak. ‘It’s more reasonable from FEMA.?
Tomczak wanted to document the township’s flood plains and the probability of floods to occur, arguing that Orion Township has more lakes than Oakland Township, which offers residents FEMA insurance.
‘I want to know, do we meet FEMA requirements,? he said, adding that 14 homeowners in Oakland had flood insurance through FEMA.
‘They’ve done all their homework and presented it to the federal government…I’m not saying we have to offer it, but I think we should explore,? he added. ‘Let us show we’re doing our job and looking out for (the residents?) benefit.?
According to Jim Stevens of OHM, there were pros and cons to having flood insurance from FEMA.
‘We’ll pass our research on to the township,? he said.
Building official Tom Berger said a land surveyor would have to be brought in to examine all new homesites, to provide information to FEMA, at an additional cost.
‘He’s the only guy that can certify that (information),? he said. ‘To map this community…I think it would be an enormous fee. Who pays for that??
Berger believes with the recent heavy rainfall the area had received, Orion Township had done very well with minimal flooding.
‘We have a very good storm water management ordinance in place,? he said. ‘The committee would have to dig up a lot of data…What will be the benefit to the community??
Treasurer Jim Marleau said the kind of flooding people were seeing on the TV news was not happening in Orion Township on a ‘daily basis.?
‘I can probably count on one hand the number of things we’ve had happen in the township (regarding heavy flooding),? he said.
‘I wonder why our next door neighbor (Oakland Township) offers this…we have more lakes then they do,? Tomczak said.
Berger said, based on population, he wasn’t sure if it would be worth the trouble for the township.
‘I don’t know if enough people at this point and time are going to benefit,? he added.
The committee plans to investigate the matter and report back to the board, ‘without urgency.?