June 29, 2010
Huntington City Council Votes to Retain Floodwall Employees
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - A majority of Huntington City Council approved a resolution that retains three floodwall employees and shifts compliance and inspection personnel.
Originally, council members had omitted three floodwall employees from the budget, but, an evaluation by the U.S. Corps of Engineers revealed the weaknesses in operating an aging levee. Thus, expertise to efficiently complete customized repairs would be lost if the three employees were let go.
“If council doesn’t pass this resolution, we will have three people out of work Wednesday morning,” said Jim Porter, president of Local 598., adding that their expertise with the levee extends beyond cutting grass. He warned that a malfunctioning floodwall system , if hit by a flood comparable to 1937, would do a billion dollars in damage to the city.
For pictures from the Corps of Engineers 1937 flood collection, click on:
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Search/index.cfm?AllWords=Huntington+1937+flood&Phrase=&OneWord=&Section_ID=0&DataType_ID=0&Search=+Find+
To view as a Power Point presentation, click:
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Documents/index.cfm?id=16944&pge_id=1101
Danny Plybon, the local’s former president and one of those impacted floodwall employees, told council that “it takes four people [in floodwall] to operate Four Pole [pumps] alone.” He reminded council that the floodwall system consists of 47 gates and 17 stations brought into operation if the Ohio River reaches sixty feet.
Council voted 7-3 to approve the budget revision. However, those voting in dissent (Mark Bates, Scott Caserta, Jim Insco) appeared to do so in a symbolic decision against the Wolfe Administration’s 4-day work week and city hall closing.
Steve Williams originally would have joined them, but, altered his position after consideration that symbolism must step aside, at least on this resolution.
In fact, Councilman Nate Randolph admitted, “I’m not crazy about the four hour work week [but] this does not have to do with the work week, it’s three floodwall positions.”
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Huntington City Council Votes to Retain Floodwall Employees
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) - A majority of Huntington City Council approved a resolution that retains three floodwall employees and shifts compliance and inspection personnel.
Originally, council members had omitted three floodwall employees from the budget, but, an evaluation by the U.S. Corps of Engineers revealed the weaknesses in operating an aging levee. Thus, expertise to efficiently complete customized repairs would be lost if the three employees were let go.
“If council doesn’t pass this resolution, we will have three people out of work Wednesday morning,” said Jim Porter, president of Local 598., adding that their expertise with the levee extends beyond cutting grass. He warned that a malfunctioning floodwall system , if hit by a flood comparable to 1937, would do a billion dollars in damage to the city.
For pictures from the Corps of Engineers 1937 flood collection, click on:
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Search/index.cfm?AllWords=Huntington+1937+flood&Phrase=&OneWord=&Section_ID=0&DataType_ID=0&Search=+Find+
To view as a Power Point presentation, click:
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Documents/index.cfm?id=16944&pge_id=1101
Danny Plybon, the local’s former president and one of those impacted floodwall employees, told council that “it takes four people [in floodwall] to operate Four Pole [pumps] alone.” He reminded council that the floodwall system consists of 47 gates and 17 stations brought into operation if the Ohio River reaches sixty feet.
Council voted 7-3 to approve the budget revision. However, those voting in dissent (Mark Bates, Scott Caserta, Jim Insco) appeared to do so in a symbolic decision against the Wolfe Administration’s 4-day work week and city hall closing.
Steve Williams originally would have joined them, but, altered his position after consideration that symbolism must step aside, at least on this resolution.
In fact, Councilman Nate Randolph admitted, “I’m not crazy about the four hour work week [but] this does not have to do with the work week, it’s three floodwall positions.”
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