Holbrook Council Tables Action On Levee Proposal

By Tammy Gray-Searles
   A $1,065,000 levee recertification proposal by Woodson Engineering was tabled by the Holbrook City Council Tuesday evening.
   Woodson was hired to assist in the recertification process of the Holbrook levee. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decertified levees across the country following the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans, and has required that information necessary to recertify the levees be turned in by Sept. 26. The city’s initial agreement with Woodson for levee recertification services was $175,000. The cost was expected to be less if the documents retained by the Army Corps of Engineers regarding construction of the levee could be located.
   At the June 10 council meeting, Woodson Engineering representative Jeff Swan informed the council that absent the documentation from the corps, the recertification process could cost more than $790,000.
   The current proposal includes $625,000 for recertification services, $65,000 for “grandfathering” services, $200,000 for maintenance costs and $175,000 in unspecified costs. The proposal notes that “total project estimate” is $1,025,000, but the individually listed items add up to $1,065,000.
   The “grandfather” fee is for a planned attempt by Woodson to keep the levee certified by proving that it was built during a time when standards equal to today’s levee standards were in place. The proposal notes, “Success in this effort should result in an overall lower cost since recertification by the city may not be required. This effort will need to be worked on at the same time as the recertification effort to assure that the levee meets the terms of and time frame of the PAL (an agreement with FEMA to begin the recertification process) agreement.”
   Councilman Wade Carlisle asked what the $175,000 would complete, noting that the city already has a contract with Woodson for that amount for the levee recertification. He also noted that if the documents retained by the corps cannot be found, he would like to pursue political options. Vice Mayor Cynthia Stuart and Councilman Phil Cobb agreed that the city should look for assistance and support from its congress-men.
   The council unanimously agreed to table the issue, and scheduled a work session with Woodson Engineering representatives at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22.
   “This is a problem we didn’t generate,” Cobb remarked. “There’s a lot of questions out there that need to be answered.”
   Prior to the council’s decision to table the proposal, several community members spoke during petitions from the public, asking the council members to gather more information before making a decision. Jack Young asked how Woodson arrived at its estimate, and whether the firm is certified in hydraulic engineering.
   Mayor Jeff Hill noted that the council heard the public’s concerns.
   If the levee is not recertified, a large portion of the city could be designated as a floodplain. The designation would result in increased insurance costs for many residents.
   In other action July 8, the council:
   * Approved the expenditure of $2,200 for out of state travel for three city employees to travel to Spanish Fork, Utah, for training on the new water billing software.
   * Approved the expenditure of $3,250 for out of state travel for Police Chief DWayne Hartup and Sgt. Matt Molique to attend the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference scheduled in November in San Diego, Calif.
   * Approved a special event liquor license for Navajo County Fair Inc.
   * Approved the expenditure of up to $6,893.62 for the purchase of a water booster pump from James, Cooke and Hobson.
   * Scheduled a work session on the 2008-09 budget at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
   * Scheduled a joint meeting with the Ethics Ad Hoc Committee at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29.
   The next regular council meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22, at city hall.