Floodplain Board Members Reappointed

The Muskingum County Commissioners approved the re-appointment of the members of the Muskingum County Floodplain Board Thursday afternoon.

The board consists of all of the same members with the exception of one new one who replaced a retired member. Floodplain Administrator, Ray Mennega told us more about what the floodplain board does.

“We have an appeals board for the floodplain that rules on any appeal to floodplain construction that could be in violation of flood plain regulations and the appeals board will hear the case and then decide whether or not the case has merit and if it does they would rule in favor of the appeal if not, they would not rule in favor of the appeal.”

The term of each board member is for 3 years and each holds a different discipline. The board is made up of the EMA Director, an individual involved with the Health Department, geographic information system, an Agriculturalist and a Soil Scientist. Mennega told us how those positions were chosen.

“The reason why we chose people from those disciplines is that a lot of flood plain construction is very technical. It requires an individual that has an appreciation for construction, for health issues for general knowledge of flood plain issues and we felt in the community that those five people really fit the mold for that.”

If you are unsure if you live within the flood plain, you are encouraged to visit the Muskingum County website where you can find a full color map outlining the areas at risk for high water: www.muskingumcounty.org