Members of the Houston City Council received an update Tuesday on several projects to restore or improve areas prone to flooding.
The study comes after heavy rains in late April 2017 caused infrastructure and erosion damage in Emmett Kelly Park and along Brushy Creek. FEMA earlier made a preliminary assessment of damage. Most recently, the city began making some repairs on Main Street to a bridge closed since the flooding.
Nathan Meyer, an engineer with Olsson Associates, a Springfield firm, presented a report that highlighted damaged infrastructure and possible solutions. Meyer said bank erosion was observed, damage was recorded at the Brushy Creek Trail, and some fencing along the creek and near the wastewater treatment plant, as well as a gabion basket wall, sustained damage. The firm also identified a sewer line exposed.
The weather system dumped heavy rain on the area, Brushy Creek swelled and water was reported in some businesses near and along the stream.
The firm recommended a two-box-culvert bridge for Main Street. It was at the mid-range of possible solutions, Meyer reported. The price tag is $214,000 with FEMA, if approving, expected to pick up 75 percent of the cost. Ultimately, the council could opt to do just repairs itself; some have already been done. There also is the possibility of winning some Community Development Block Grant funding.
Meyer told the council to review the report and decide whether it wanted the firm to complete an application for FEMA funds. Some monies have already been allocated by the federal agency based on the preliminary review. Some of the work could be conducted in-house or put out for bid. Some of the items under consideration are:
•Work to improve bank erosion issues and control water better where an apartment complex once stood along the creek and near Walnut Street.
•Improvements to the structural integrity to the Main Street bridge, where a beam is deteriorated.
•Addressing an area near a gabion basket wall installed in January 2017 near the city’s wastewater treatment plant. It was explained rock was too small and some washed away. Additionally, some water got behind it. Laying the slope different was explored as an alternative.
Ultimately, the council might opt to make the application and see what input state and federal agencies might offer and see what funds are available.
In other matters, members:
—Heard a presentation on insurance coverages from MIRMA, a Columbia-based organization that operates a self-insurance pool owned by its participating members, which includes 79 municipalities. Executive director Matthew Brodersen spoke before the council. It’s been operating since 1981. It also provides risk management and employment practice consultations.
—Approved a contract with Archer-Elgin, Rolla, that included limits on what would be spent on various services for a project to add concrete driveways at an Oak Hill bus barn and electrical department building. It also approved an $81,900 bid from Bloomsdale Excavating for the concrete parking lot improvements that include some drainage work.
—Approved a $2,250 website bid from Rocket Digital, Houston. Two bids were received for a major upgrade to the city’s current offering that will highlight city government, the community, various departments and give a full offering for those interested in locating here as a business or resident.
—Approved an ordinance that rezones to highway business district two lots east of Thomasville Road and East Highway 17.
—Heard Administrator Tona Bowen report that the city is responding to a recent general liability insurance review and will be submitting a response.
—Learned that Houston was represented during a recent meeting of the Sustainable Ozarks Partnership, a group that that supports Fort Leonard Wood and the region.
—Learned that a firm that conducted smoke testing of sewer lines in the city is continuing to work on the project to identify trouble spots in advance that would be included in the 2019 budget. The city is working to reduce water infiltration to its wastewater plant.
—Heard that the city was without any operable fire truck from a period Friday to Sunday. One unit requires a $3,000 computer to allow diagnostic tests to be done for repairs. It is set to arrive in about two months, Bowen said. The city’s ladder truck needed a part, which was installed on Sunday.
—Discussed the feasibility of operating its own trash service. A review will occur over the next year.
—Learned the city’s fall cleanup days are the week of Oct. 29.
—Heard the next meeting will be Monday, Sept. 24.
—Adjourned into a closed session to discuss personnel.