City Hall, police station remain limited by effects of flood
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
While many homes and business have dried out in the wake of this month’s flood, the City of Burlington is still struggling with infrastructure problems related to the deluge and flood that began July 12.
As of Tuesday, the city police station and the Jefferson Street bridge remained closed and City Hall was operating without telephones or a local computer network, according to City Administrator Carina Walters.
Until Wednesday, people who’ve attempted to call City Hall have received a busy signal. One phone line has since been restored to allow incoming calls, but busy signals will occur if the phone is in use.
Walters advised those who need direct city services – such as those who want to pay the second installment of their property taxes – to visit City Hall where the regular staff is in place to assist residents.
Callers also have the option of contacting the wastewater treatment plant at (262) 539-3646 and questions can be relayed to staff at City Hall.
Walters said residents should also monitor the city’s website and Facebook page for updates.
Police station closed
Police operations have been temporarily established at the fire station on Washington Avenue, according to Walters. The Racine County Communications Center continues to handle dispatching for the city in the interim and residents may continue to call 911 for all emergencies.
Those who wish to call police for non-emergency matters should call (262) 763-9558 and the call will be routed through the county communications center.
All full-time police employees, including dispatchers who are temporarily working as clerks, are stationed at the firehouse.
All computer and phone networks at City Hall and the police station were destroyed when 12 feet of water infiltrated the basement of the police station, where the equipment for both buildings, located along Jefferson Street, was stored.
As of Tuesday, water was still seeping back into the police station, leaving an inch or less of water on the floor.
City Hall reopens
City Hall, which had three feet of water in its basement, was closed for a week in the wake of the flood and reopened last Thursday with the communication limitations.
“I was hoping our temporary infrastructure would be up last Wednesday,” said Walters, who met with the city’s information technology consultant Tuesday.
She said the goal is to have a limited computer network and phone service established until the matter can be fully considered by the City Council.
Walters said staff and consultants have to complete a period of due diligence to determine the extent of the damage and the scope of the replacement cost.
She said, at a minimum, the city will need to purchase a new phone system and new computer servers.
Walters estimated the long-term solution and new infrastructure will be up and running in about 60 days.
“I don’t have a dollar amount yet,” she said of the damage.
Mayor Jeannie Hefty said the goal of Walters and her staff was to return to normalcy as soon as possible in order to serve residents in the best way possible.
“Nobody realizes what they have until they lose it,” she said.
Dam drawdown
As of July 20, the White River Dam at Echo Lake was fully open as a drawdown of the lake continues.
Officials are planning to lower the level of the lake to a point where they’ll be able to fully inspect the dam and surrounding embankment at Echo Park for damage.
“We’re just waiting for water levels (to decline) so we can complete the analysis,” Walters said.
Once that level is reached, the city’s engineering consultant will determine what, if any repairs need to be completed.
Jefferson St. bridge
Because the design of the replacement for the Jefferson Street bridge is not complete, the city will have to examine its options before deciding whether or not to reopen the bridge based on its condition.
The bridge is slated for replacement in 2018 by the state Department of Transportation. However, Walters said, it appears the DOT is not far enough along with those plans to begin the work this year.
Baring an unanticipated acceleration of that schedule, Walters said, the city will have to decide whether its safe to reopen the bridge or keep it closed until the replacement project begins in 2018.
The first step, she said, is completing an assessment of the bridge in its current condition.
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