SCAN ZOOM and Commissioner Neunder's Directive for the County's Flood Update

A SCAN ZOOM meeting about the floods of 2024, the maintenance or lack thereof of 2025, and the concerns for the coming storm season.


Links to video and audio recording:

Video link                                     Audio only link

Passcode:  Jy2.LWpw



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Below is the email from Commissioner Neunder to county administrator Jonathan Lewis from April 3, 2025. The clear message: In advance of this year's hurricane season (17 named storms expected) the county needs to look at where things stand with damage assessments, operations, maintenance and more. 

See also hydrologist Steve Suau's 10 Recommendations to the county which he submitted following his independent assessment of the causes of the flooding.


Jonathan,

With our storm season rapidly approaching, recent public articles/local TV stations pieces and my site visits throughout our community, I believe (and what I’m hearing from our residents on my daily travels) is that there exists a general sense of anxiety, in the broader community, regarding our preparedness with respect to operation and maintenance of our County drainage systems. All stemming of course from last years VERY active and unprecedented hurricane/rain season. My intent here is to raise this subject matter at our next BOCC meeting and request a workshop specific to this focus. I suggest the following for a working agenda: (Yes 1 more workshop, as I believe we do need it.)

 

  1. Staff identification of the County waterway infrastructure system by maintenance priority (i.e. priority 1,2,3 or High. Medium, Low) developed over the decades by Stormwater Environmental Utility (SEU). These priorities should be color coded and be exclusive or roadway drainage except for MAJOR water crossings and bridges.
  2. Staff identification of the current frequency (LOS) of maintenance for each waterway priority.
  3. Staff quantification of the linear feet of waterways and dikes as well as the number of bridges and other structures for each priority category. The current maintenance status and projected maintenance status by say 6-1-2025, for each component, and priority should be provided as a percentage of the total quantity.
  4. Staff recommendations for any potential adjustments to the existing priorities based upon lessons learned from the Summer of 2024 and County wide community input.
  5. Staff recommendations for any potential adjustments to the existing level of service (Maintenance frequencies) based upon lessons learned from Summer 2024 and again community input.
  6. Based on Staff input and recommendations, the BOCC should be requested to adopt a short term (reactive and catch up here) operations and maintenance program. This program should incorporate the related and relevant recommendations of the independent review. A breakdown of maintenance and operation cost associated with major drainage infrastructure and minor roadway drainage infrastructure over the past 3 to 5 years, should be provided to assist with possible prioritization prior to 6-1-2025.

 

Our last workshop focused on a menu of possible regulatory options which we should revisit this Summer with specific recommendations from our professional Staff as well as independent review. However, I’m still convinced that we need to turn our immediate attentions to Stormwater Maintenance and Operation program. This will assure the there is a “All Hands On Deck” approach that is currently underway. If this Board agrees to provide you with clear direction/mission (And yes, always with a motion) my hope is that we can better be prepared for this upcoming Hurricane Season in the Community that we all LOVE and are blessed to be able to call HOME.  

 

Yours in Health,

 

Joe

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