The Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention District Council (FPD Council) was formed in July 2009 by Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties in direct response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) announcement of its intention to deaccredit the 74-mile levee system protecting the St. Louis Metro East region. FEMA’s decision would effectively designate substantial portions of the American Bottom area of Southwestern Illinois as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on new flood insurance rate maps, with devastating economic impact on our region. Recognizing the urgency of this situation, regional leaders successfully sought authorization from the Illinois General Assembly to impose a ¼ percent sales tax to pay for any necessary improvements to the levee system and created independent Flood Prevention Districts (FPDs) within each county with the authority to collect the tax. The FPD Council was formed by the three county FPDs as a joint venture to oversee the restoration of the Metro East to protect the lives, property and the economic vitality of the St. Louis Metro East region.
The core functions of the FPD Council are as follows:
- Repair and Reconstruction of the Levee Systems – To establish budgets, plans, designs and priorities for the improvement of area levee systems.
- Funding the Levee Protection System Improvements – To use the dedicated sales tax revenues to issue bonds, notes or other debt to finance the repair and reconstruction and to seek other funds from federal, state and local governmental or private agencies.
- Management and Administrative Functions – To employ a Chief Supervisor of Construction and the Works and other staff as may be needed to carry out the functions of the FPD Council.
- Other Functions – To undertake other matters required for the improvement of area levee systems and to assist other organizations in limiting the economic consequences to the area during the time that levee improvements are being made.
Our goal is to achieve certification of the levee system in the three counties at a cost of $150 million or less in under five years, and to limit economic hardship during the time that flood protection is being improved.
FPD Council Board of Directors
The FPD Council Board of Directors includes three representatives from each of the independent County Flood Prevention Districts. FY2024 officers include:
- President: Max Merz III, CPSM, C.P.M., CPP and member of the Madison County Flood Prevention District
- Vice-President: Debra Moore, Director of Administration – St. Clair County, Illinois and Chair of the St. Clair County Flood Prevention District
- Secretary/Treasurer: John Conrad, Editor and Publisher of the Monroe County Independent and Chair of the Monroe County Flood Prevention District
- Additional members include:
Madison County Flood Prevention District
- David Schwind, MA, C.P.M.
- Michael Andreas, Engineering Consultant
Monroe County Flood Prevention District
- Bruce Brinkman, Farmer
- Aaron Metzger, Monroe County Engineer, Monroe County Highway Department
St. Clair County Flood Prevention District
- Isabelle Crockett
- Alvin Parks, Jr., Former Mayor of East St. Louis, Illinois
FPD Council Staff
Chuck Etwert
Chief Supervisor of Construction and the Works
2024 Board Meeting Schedule
The FPD Council is scheduled to meet on the third Wednesday of the month, in the months identified below. The general public is welcome to attend at any time to hear the latest on the progress on levee improvements. A link to a PDF of the materials from each meeting is also posted below for added convenience. The Project Status section of this website also provides a summary of the current efforts underway. The following are the dates of meetings scheduled for calendar year 2024. Meeting dates are subject to action being required by the Council. Cancellation of a meeting will be posted and distributed one week prior to the meeting date.
Unless otherwise indicated, all meetings will be held at the offices of the Metro East Park and Recreation District at 104 United Drive in Collinsville and will begin at 7:30 a.m.
- January 17, 2024
- March 20, 2024
- May 15, 2024
- July 17, 2024
- August 21, 2024
- November 20, 2024
Click here to view Board Meeting Materials in the Data Center
