By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
The December storm and power outages added up to some overtime pay and a series of lessons learned for Bonney Lake's city staff.
A summary memo from City Administrator Don Morrison presented to the City Council Jan. 16 recounted staff actions during the wind storm that began the afternoon of Dec. 14.
Public Works employees were dispatched to clear trees from roads, close roads and fire up generators powering city water pumps and sewer lift and grinder stations.
An Emergency Operations Center was established in the Public Safety Building training room and was headed by Public Works Director Dan Grigsby, Police Chief Mike Mitchell and East Pierce Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Dave Wakefield.
“I was very proud of our people,” Grigsby said. “We were out there where we needed to be as quickly as possible and we had some of the safest streets in the region.”
According to the memo, crews monitored 22 sewer lift stations and 90 residential grinder pumps that need to be powered by generators.
All but two lift stations have permanent generators on site. Portable generators were used at those.
Crews had to refuel 42 generators at the various water and sewer sites.
Overtime pay due to the storm rang up at about $12,000.
Morrison pointed out in the memo the Public Safety Building's training room is not set up for an emergency center. The site needs T-1 Internet lines, computer hook ups and more telephone hook ups.
The Bonney Lake Senior Center was used as an emergency shelter during the storm and the American Red Cross wants volunteers from the area to operate the shelter.
A storm debris drop-off site was opened at Ball Field No. 4 across from Allan Yorke Park Dec. 16. The site was kept open until Sunday.
The limbs and small trees will be ground up in the city's chipping machine. The chips will be scattered on trails and will be offered free to residents for mulch and garden ground cover.
Public Works crews began picking up debris Dec. 16 and the street sweeper was putting the finishing touches on the job last week.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.
