There won’t be a Town flood commission, after all.

Instead the new five-member municipal panel will be tasked with an expanded portfolio to address multiple emergency management and natural disaster incidents.

The change in scope came at the request of Town Administrator Scott Thomas at the La Conner Town Council Jan. 24 hybrid meeting.

“When I got into the weeds of this,” Thomas explained, “it became clear that there are a number of emergencies that the Town should be prepared for – not just floods. An emergency management commission seemed to work better.

“So,” said Thomas, “the idea is to expand this into an emergency management commission that incorporates flooding.”

The 4-0 vote (Mary Wohleb was absent), established the commission by ordinance.

Mayor Ramon Hayes credited Councilmember Rick Dole with promoting the need for an expert commission with regular monthly meeting dates. He took an active role in the response to devastating Dec. 27 saltwater flooding that caused nearly $2 million in damages here,

“This was the brainchild of Councilmember Dole,” Hayes said. “It will be an important commission.”

Hayes, Thomas and Dole attended a Jan. 21 “Town Talks” forum at the La Conner Retirement Inn where the topic of rapid communications during flood conditions morphed to include health, public safety and emergency responses.

The two-hour session likely helped plant the seeds for a comprehensive emergency management commission.

Far less was said on two agenda items that have generated much past discussion. No new information was reported on the Center Street condo complex proposal or future development of the former Jenson property on the town’s south end .

Thomas said Hearing Examiner David Lowell had not yet responded to his request for an update on the status of the appeal of the Conditional Use Permit for Center Street.

Hayes promoted the one-half acre Jenson site as ideal for housing construction given its proximity to Channel Cove.

“But,” he said, “it will be up to the Council.”

Council members also agreed to a waterfront engineering survey, a response to the December flooding.

“This,” said Town Public Works Director Brian Lease, “is so we can identify all the low spots and all the high spots and gather information for temporary flood control measures and permanent flood management. It’s a great start and well needed.”

At the outset of the meeting, residents Stuart Welch, Jim Matthews and Linda Talman spoke during public comments.

Welch addressed pedestrian safety and the so-called “sidewalks to nowhere” which are not connected to other walkways. Matthews noted that during the “Town Talks” forum someone had voiced objections to the line of “ratty looking” newspaper and magazine boxes near the post office. Talman’s voiced the need for the new emergency management commission to reflect the community’s diversity and the availability of grant funds through the Skagit Council of Governments for safe pedestrian and cycling routes.

Hayes also formally introduced Assistant Planner Ajah Eills. The mayor lauded Eills for her love of research. Thomas praised her for having achieved much in a short period of time, to which planner Michael Davolio said he could readily attest.

“She’s definitely making my job a lot easier,” said Davolio.