Mayor: Findlay making progress on flood control – The Courier

Chris Oaks spoke with Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik. Q: With another flood event behind us, protocol dictates a review of the response. At this point, however, is there anything more than can be learned about how to better respond to these events? A: Right now were still focused on helping our residents recover, so the full postmortem discussion has yet to take place. But we do know that well have to look at the efficiency with which we are able to close down roads, for one thing. Some of that has to do with the software we use in our computer-aided dispatch center and the way we communicate with various departments who help us do that. Of course, that was complicated by the sheer number of road closures due to the nature of this event. So, were going to evaluate how we do that and how we can more quickly and efficiently stay on top of the situation. Its always an ongoing process. Q: Last weeks event was unique in that it was actually two separate events in succession first the flash flood, then the major river flooding. To what extent did that tax the citys resources? A: I cant remember a time when citywide we have been pushed to the limits like this. Our storm sewer system is good, but not good enough to handle 4 to 5 inches of rain in two hours. And, of course, you noticed that we werent the only ones with that issue several cities across the state faced a similar challenge in that respect. The thing we had to deal with then, of course, was the river coming up. I think at one point we were using all the barricades we had available from both the public works department and storm sewer maintenance department. So it definitely kept us pretty busy. Q: Knowing that a potentially major event was in the forecast, one of the lessons from past events was the importance of splitting response services effectively to the north and the south of the river. Were you happy with the way that plan was executed? A: I was. Were talking about making sure police and fire resources are positioned for timely response when the city is split in half, which is even more critical now because of the extensive construction on I-75 as it is the only reliable north-south artery in these conditions. The fire department is naturally pretty well split in that way, but we want to make sure they are adequately staffed. And then we also stationed two different groups of police working the north and south end. Like I said, we havent had our official postmortem conversation, but it seemed as though our organization and response times were good. That said, Im sure those folks will have ideas for further improvement in the future. Q: And the city itself wasnt immune to the impact of the flood, either. A: Right. We have some essential city services located in the heart of the flood plain. Our utility billing office, our water distribution group and our water treatment office all had to make preparations. Our public works crew had to make sure all the heavy rolling stock was out of the way of the water. So it was certainly an all-hands-on-deck situation where just about everyone had something that had to be done. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, weve had experience at this. Q: As you are aware, many residents are also weighing in with their analysis, much of which has been harshly negative. Realizing that comes largely from frustration, whats your reaction to those voices asking when were going to stop studying and discussing and start actually doing something about all of this? A: I really do understand the frustration, and we feel it too. One thing that is painfully obviously to me and our team is that weve done a poor job of communicating about our efforts to date. Setting aside the flash flood last Thursday, which is impossible or nearly impossible to do anything about, our abatement program through the acquisition of now some 150 homes has been very effective at dealing with the river flooding issue. When the Blanchard comes up to 14 or even 15 feet, it doesnt impact near as many homes and businesses as it used to. We are now in the design phase of a significant mitigation project that should commence by the end of this year or early next. We are making progress, but we need to communicate better and Ill own that. Can we do more? Really, thats up to the community to decide what options are acceptable and at what cost. At the end of the day, however, these events are natural disasters, and no amount of money or human engineering will eliminate them completely. Good Mornings! with Chris Oaks airs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekdays on WFIN, 1330 kHz. He can be reached by email at chrisoaks@wfin.com, or at 419-422-4545.

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Mayor: Findlay making progress on flood control - The Courier