Mayor and council praise staff after weekend storms; nearly 2,500 sheltered at peak, officials say

City leaders publicly thanked emergency personnel, department staff and volunteers Friday for running shelter operations during a weekend severe-weather event that officials said did not produce the worst-expected outcomes.

An official presenter reported that shelters held “close to 2,500” people at one point, with several sites heavily attended. The presenter singled out the efforts of Captain Kronister (identified in discussion as taking on emergency operations manager duties) and said the city had not yet filled a dedicated emergency-operations-manager position included in the fiscal 2026 budget; Captain Kronister volunteered or accepted additional duties to organize the response.

Council members and others praised the coordination across departments — including police, fire, rescue, facilities and grounds — and thanked staff for overtime and logistical work that kept shelters operational and allowed schools to reopen after the event. Several council members described widespread volunteer participation, noted higher-than-typical shelter turnout at particular facilities and expressed appreciation for department heads and support staff. One council member referenced prior storm experiences and said preparedness and staffing likely drove higher shelter use and better outcomes than feared.

Speakers also referenced ongoing recovery efforts in nearby communities (including volunteers and truckloads of donated items being shipped to affected towns) and encouraged residents to donate through local drop-off points named in discussion. The transcript does not show any formal policy changes or budget votes tied to the shelters in the excerpt provided.