Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Storm Response Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elizabethtown mayor praises city staff after heavy rains; details on wastewater and stormwater response
Summary
Mayor Jeff Gregory told the council April 7 that recent storm events delivered about 12 inches of rain. He praised wastewater, stormwater, public works, fire and police personnel for response efforts, including handling flows through the wastewater plant well above normal capacity and multiple swift-water rescues.
Mayor Jeff Gregory opened the April 7 Elizabethtown City Council meeting with an update on the city's response to a multi-day heavy-rain event that produced about 12 inches of rainfall.
"We were pushing 31,000,000 gallons a day through that plant anywhere from 31 to 28 I'd say so it was getting 2 and a half times what it was supposed to flowing through there and they were they were still handling it," Gregory said, crediting wastewater-plant staff for continuous operations under extraordinary inflow and infiltration.
Gregory also singled out stormwater staff for decisions to hold and then begin releasing water from Freeman Lake to relieve downstream neighborhoods, and he praised public-works crews and first responders. The mayor said the fire department conducted 13 swift-water rescues during the event, two inside the city and 11 in the county, and that police checked on people in flooded areas.
Council members and staff noted the event revealed opportunities for improvement. Gregory said the city would take note of issues seen during the event and work to improve infrastructure and response procedures.
The mayor encouraged public recognition of employees who worked long shifts during the rains, some while their own homes were affected. He thanked named staff including Corey (wastewater plant), Rita Davis (stormwater) and others who were deployed during the response.
The mayor also directed attention to an annual report and a proclamation for Fair Housing Month on the agenda; he said the annual report was available online and in hard copy from the city clerk.
No formal vote was required for the Mayor9s remarks, which were delivered as part of council information items at the start of the meeting.
