Pilgrim To Seek Reasonable Cost Plan To Recertify Holbrook Levee

By Tammy Gray-Searles
   Finding a way to recertify the Holbrook levee at a reasonable cost was the daunting task assigned to new City Manager Carlo Pigrim during a city council work session Tuesday evening.
   The council met to discuss the levee recertification and to get information from Woodson Engineering, the firm in charge of the project. Initially, the recertification process was estimated to cost $350,000, but a few weeks ago the council was informed that it could cost more than $750,000.
   At a previous meeting, when the council was asked to consider an agreement with Woodson Engineering to complete the process, council members asked for more information. The work session was scheduled so that council members could speak with Woodson Engineering staff directly to learn more about the massive increase in cost. Engineer Jeff Swan attended the work session on behalf of Woodson Engineering.
   Swan told the council that over the last few months it has become fairly obvious that all of the documents the city would need to recertify the levee inexpensively are not available and not likely to be found. This means that hydrological and geotechnical work will need to be done to determine not only that the levee is sound, but what type of material and plans were used to build it, and that the design and the levee itself will withstand a 100-year flood event.
   According to Swan, even if the missing records, which were reportedly kept by the Army Corps of Engineers, were found, the city would still bear the cost of testing to determine that the build plans were fol-lowed. The missing records include some of the design plans for the levee, change orders to the plans, and quality control and inspection documents. City council members were told earlier that if the documents could be located, recertifying the levee would be much less expensive.
   The corps, according to Swan, is only required to keep such documents for six years.
   “After six years they may be destroyed,” he said. “Whether or not they were destroyed, we don’t know. We’re trying to find the people who would know.”
   On behalf of Woodson Engineering, Swan suggested that the city move forward on a dual-track plan, which would include working to have the levee “grandfathered” into recertification, and going through the complete recertification process at the same time. At any point that it became obvious that grandfathering in the levee would definitely work or definitely not work, the plan would be revised to include only the successful track.
   The grandfathering process, Swan explained, would essentially consist of the corps providing information on its design and construction standards for levees such as Holbrook’s, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) accepting that information as sufficient for recertification.
   “It’s a better approach,” Swan said. “If we can do it, a lot of those other costs will go away.”
   At a meeting in April between representatives of the corps and FEMA, the idea of grandfathering was suggested, but Swan noted that it hasn’t been put forth by either entity as a definite solution.
   “I’ve been told both ways by FEMA and the corps,” said Swan. “I’ve talked to one that says they won’t (allow “grandfathering”), and I’ve talked to another that says it’s possible. We need to find out. I think by having elected officials involved, we’ll get better answers. In my experience, my opinion is that FEMA is hiding behind the program, dumping it on the little people.”
   Pilgrim told the council that he believes pressure needs to be put on FEMA to provide solid information and answers, as well as assistance. He noted that he has already been working to arrange a public meeting between the council, and FEMA and corps decision-makers.
   “I want to see FEMA and the corps at the table to answer these questions,” Pilgrim remarked.
   He explained that he also would like to see state and national representatives involved, and told the council he would be willing to lead the effort in getting them involved.
   “I believe we’re not the only ones out there facing this,” he told the council. “We need to get some sup-port, get them (FEMA and corps representatives), and let’s get some answers. I don’t believe that’s a responsibility we should bear by ourselves.”
   Pilgrim also commented, “There’s a lot of questions that FEMA and the corps need to answer publicly. We need to hear from the decision makers to know what the process is, so we can make good decisions. I want to see action. I propose we take action to get the answers we need.”
   The council voted unanimously to authorize Pilgrim to take the necessary steps to arrange a meeting between the council and FEMA and corps decision-makers. They also asked him to continue reaching out to congressmen and other cities facing the same recertification issues to try to gain support.
   Prior to the action, Mayor Jeff Hill asked what the outcome would be if it turned out the levee was not built to design standards. Swan explained that the areas of the city that are considered safe from flooding as a result of the levee protection would be considered in a flood plain and property owners would be required to purchase flood insurance. Swan pointed out the areas affected on a large map. According to the map, most of downtown Holbrook south of Florida Street, but some areas as far north as Iowa Street, would be included in the flood plain if the levee does not meet recertification standards, or if it is not recertified. (The map can be viewed at city hall.)
   During the work session, Councilman Phil Cobb asked that another party with experience in municipal infrastructure be allowed to speak.
   Tom Gilardoni, who identified himself as “an independent consultant for the sake of this conversation,” told the council that he was asked by a group of individuals to give a second opinion on the levee recertifi-cation process.
   According to Gilardoni, “grandfathering” doesn’t exist.
   “Grandfathering, according to the corps, doesn’t exist,” he said. “I haven’t seen it in FEMA in writing.”
   He went on to propose that he act as a full-time lobbyist, working to get good information and assistance from FEMA and the corps.
   Hill noted that the proper channel to make a proposal to the council is by making arrangements through the city manager.