Jones County’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan, required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in order for local governments to be eligible for disaster relief funds, is on track to be submitted ahead of schedule.

A committee of Jones County stakeholders has been meeting since June of 2009, led by Bob Rychel, manager of Planning Programs for the Middle Georgia Regional Commission. Rychel told attendees at the Feb. 22 meeting that it could be their last, and he expects to submit Jones County’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan to GEMA by mid-March. The deadline for the plan to be submitted is June.

Rychel asked for any changes needed for a draft of the plan, which was distributed to committee members at their January meeting.

Jimmy Crutchfield, representing Jones County’s volunteer firefighters, suggested the addition of the railroad to the Hazardous Materials Section, and EMA Director Don Graham asked that the addition also include the fact that the railroad runs through downtown Gray.

“It’s a mixing bowl downtown where the state highways cross the tracks. If something happened and a tanker tips over downtown, we’ve got problems,” Graham said.

Information in the plan addresses hazardous materials spills and points out that Macon is to the west of Jones County and Robins Air Force Base is to the southwest with a large volume of truck traffic passing through its boundaries each day. However, within the 16-year period for which data is available, Jones County had 14 hazardous materials spills reported, all of which were fixed releases. None were transportation-related.

In addition to addressing what to do in the event of a hazardous material spill, the plan covers natural disasters, such as flooding, tornados, drought, thunderstorm winds, lightning, and winter storms.

Rychel said a final addition to the plan is a listing of major facilities that will be built or demolished in the next five years. Board of Education member Alfred Pitts said the Mattie Wells Elementary School building is scheduled to be torn down, and asbestos in the building could be an issue.

Pitts said, although the building is in need of renovation, he would like to see it used for something rather than be torn down.

County Administrator Mike Underwood said the industrial park on Highway 57 will need a public safety facility within the next five years as the park develops.

Jones County’s first Hazard Mitigation Plan was adopted in 2004 and actually expires this month. The plans are required by federal law and are approved through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Natural hazard mitigation planning is the process of deciding how to reduce or eliminate the loss of life and property damage resulting from natural and manmade hazards.

The plan contains a list of water/sewer lines, government offices, bridges, fire/law enforcement facilities, utilities, health services, and community facilities and the 2004 document was considered the most complete study ever done on hazards that have occurred in Jones County.

The process is paid for by a federal grant through FEMA. Jones County’s 25 percent match for the grant is the labor of the committee members in updating the document.

The long-term goal of the plan is to reduce disaster losses for life, property, and the economy.

Graham thanked Rychel for his work on the plan on behalf of Jones County. He said in recent meetings with EMA directors he found out that Jones County is one of two in the middle Georgia area that has an updated plan near completion.

Rychel said after the document is submitted to GEMA it will take 30-45 days to receive comments back. He said, if GEMA asks for a lot of changes, he may need to call another meeting; otherwise, he will inform committee members via e-mail.

The second of the county’s two required public hearings giving the public an opportunity for input into the Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan was held March 2, prior to the Board of Commissioners meeting.