The deluges of early August and mid-September were replayed, as were the damage they wrought in 60 minutes of restrained yet emotional victims' testimonies Monday night at City Hall as the Jefferson City Council began what officials admitted was sure to be a lengthy journey toward resolution of the problems the flash flooding exposed.
Fifth Ward Councilman Larry Henry struck a chord by calling for action to harness the stormwater problem in the next weeks, not with a plan years in the future. Fourth Ward Councilmen Carlos Graham and Glen Costales echoed Henry's impassioned call by indicating they will host a town hall in their ward in the coming days - probably no later than next week - to address potential actions.
Costales advised the two dozen unhappy residents at the meeting to stay tuned for announcement of the meeting, which is just a matter of settling on a date, he said. Graham received a bevy of thanks from the residents attending for becoming personally engaged in their post-flood struggles. He said he had visited numerous homes, videotaped damages and talked with dozens more in reaching out with moral support as well as the obvious support a public official should provide.
Public Works Director Matt Morasch opened the meeting with a thorough retelling of the city's experience with rampant stormwater and how to prepare for it, react to it and fund the repairs.
Morasch didn't pull any punches with the residents at the meeting - technically a work session for the council. He reviewed chapter and verse on the city's highly-publicized 2007 analysis of combating stormwater. The bottom line seven years ago, Morasch said, was it was reported it would cost $7.20 per month per household to generate the funds necessary to pay for the recommended improvements to the Jefferson City stormwater system. At the time, Morasch explained, that $7.20 was substantially higher than the $3.50-$4.50 norm for Midwestern cities and homeowners.
A Black & Veatch Corp. study from 2014 found Columbia at $1.15 per month per household, Overland Park at $2 and Arnold at $3. St. Louisans pay only $0.24, the study showed, but residents of Seattle pay $26.58. Larger consumers, like big box stores, churches and schools in Jefferson City might be billed $120-$450, Morasch said.
Proposals for pursing those stormwater improvements in Jefferson City in 2007 died under the weight of the financial burden residents would have faced, he said.
As for the current plight of flooded-out homeowers, City Attorney Ryan Moehlman, Morasch, City Administrator Steve Crowell and Councilman J. Rick Mihalevich, who was presiding at the meeting, all agreed the earliest a tax initiative could reach the ballot would be April 2017. Such a state-mandated tax initiative would carry a price tag for stormwater control project in the tens of millions.
Mihalevich requested and Crowell confirmed the stormwater issue would be an agenda item at one of the formal council sessions in November. This commitment to action was well received by the residents at the meeting.
Morasch said Public Works is capable of handling spot repairs and what he called "Band-Aid" fixes to the overtaxed and aged city stormwater system. Any work beyond that stage, he said, would require a serious funding commitment by the voters and city government.
Morasch said Monday city crews are always summoned during and immediately after heavy rainfall to check for blockage to inlets and drains. He said his staff cruise the city, halting to remove downed limbs and other blockage, then moving systematically street by street and ward by ward in an attempt to help prevent flooding.
Henry emphasized the stormwater problem which hit the headlines with the August and September floods was a citywide problem. If a citizen had not been victimized by a flood already, it was just a matter of time before high water would be inundating their neighborhood, Henry said.