County Flood Control District engineering manager Jon Frye will receive the 2021 Award for Excellence from the Floodplain Management Association (FMA). The award, announced by the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, recognizes outstanding floodplain management projects, programs, activities, and individuals that epitomize the best in floodplain management.
Frye will receive the honor during the FMA Annual Virtual Conference in September.
Frye oversees the district’s Capital Improvement Program and the Development Review and Hydrology sections. Following the Thomas Fire and Jan. 9 debris flow, Frye was integral in the recovery phase when he led the effort to put a Federal Emergency Management Agency Recovery Map in place to ensure rebuilt structures will be resilient in future disasters.
Frye engaged with affected landowners and building professionals to guide them through the higher standards of the new construction requirements. He also led the effort to initiate a capital improvement program to add new facilities and modifications to four existing basins in the burn area, including the new Randall Road Debris Basin currently under construction.
“Jon has distinguished himself as a dedicated public official for over 27 years. He is respected at the Flood Control District for his high level of ethics, knowledge, and commitment to the community he serves,” said Tom Fayram, Public Works deputy director. “The key to his success is his personal touch, compassion, and his availability to help.
“Jon also guides and mentors his relatively new Development Review staff to ensure consistency and good customer service.”
Frye said he is honored to receive the award and dedicates it to the district staff: “This is a team award. Every staff member is exceptional, and I can’t do what I do without them,” he said.
FMA is an organization for floodplain management professionals interested in reducing flood risk and creating sustainable floodplains. It is a chapter of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. For more on the Santa Barbara County Flood Control & Water Conservation District, visit https://www.countyofsb.org/pwd/floodcontrol.sbc.