Public Information Officer
One hundred and two people representing 39 counties and 49 communities attended the state’s first Conference for Floodplain Managers on July 31, at the State Office Building in Lincoln. The Conference was sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and the Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Manager’s Association. Of the 102 attendees, 46 were Floodplain Managers, and the remaining 56 were consultants and other community officials. One consultant traveled from Kansas City, Mo.
During the luncheon, catered by Valentino’s, attendees heard a Keynote Presentation by Nicole Fleck-Tooze, Public Works Special Project Administrator in Watershed Management for the City of Lincoln.
Janet Johnson, Chadron Floodplain Manager, Becky Paulsen, Dawes County Floodplain Manager, and William Zung, a consultant from Kansas City, Mo., were recognized for traveling the farthest.
Joyce Oakley, Nemaha County Floodplain Manager, and Mark Stursma, City of Papillion Floodplain Manager, won the door prizes provided by NeFSMA.
A careful review of all Evaluation Forms turned in revealed many ideas and suggestions for future conferences. The most common criticism was the lack of a break in the 1.5-hour and 2-hour seminars. Please be assured that this will be remedied in the future.
One final note: There was a great deal of food left over from the luncheon. NDNR called Lincoln’s People’s City Mission which sent a driver over immediately to pick up 13 untouched pizzas plus lasagna, salad and breadsticks. The Mission was very happy to receive the donation.
After a Breakfast Buffet catered by HyVee, attendees were welcomed by Brian Dunnigan, director of NDNR, and Laurie Carrette-Zook, NeFSMA chair. Six seminars were offered including:
Featured speakers were Dean Ownby, an Insurance Program Specialist with FEMA Region VII; Steve McMaster, NDNR Natural Resources Planner Coordinator; Cindy Newsham, Response and Recovery Division Manager with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency; Bill Jones, NDNR Floodplain Management Specialist ; and Shuhai Zheng, NDNR Floodplain Management Section Chief.
Click here for a selection of photos taken at the Conference!