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The Columbus City Council reviewed construction and project updates from the city manager and discussed methods of informing citizens during disasters in its meeting, Monday, July 14.
City Manager Donald Warschak detailed updates on the Texas Department of Transportation projects and clarified information on a home water service line warranty program. TxDOT’s ongoing projects include the Interstate-10 expansion, the Highway 90 Truss Bridge Rehab Project and the overlay of Spur 52, or Milam Street. Councilwoman Paige Sciba brought up the devastation of the recent floods in Kerr County and wanted to ensure that citizens receive the information needed in a disaster.
TxDOT updates
Warschak announced the start of a new traffic pattern for the I-10 project to begin in late July. The two eastbound lanes between Business Highway 71 and FM 2434 will shift to the current placement of the westbound side and construct two lanes for the westbound lanes. TxDOT estimates for the traffic pattern to last a year.
“We shall see how that will work for the city and the traffic patterns in town when there is a wreck on the interstate… the traffic push on us but just also our first responders try to get within that area with no frontage roads or side roads,” Warschak said.
In addition to the change in traffic patterns, a water line contractor will be working on the relocation of the line west of Business Highway 71 for expansion. Residents south of Harbert Street and businesses near Burger King and Popeyes will experience a temporary nighttime water service shortage soon as the current line is abandoned for the new line. Those affected will be notified beforehand.
The Truss Bridge Rehab Project continues with structural repairs. The milling and overlay of Spur 52 are scheduled to begin the week of July 20 and will take approximately one week to finish.
Crisis communication
Sciba discussed wanting information on emergency services and procedures available and accessible to residents and visitors.
“I understand that we have certain systems and certain alarms and this texting service. I just want to make sure that we as a city and as a community have done everything we can do to get that information out to our general population, those people that live here, those people that visit here… how do we make sure that our public is really informed about what things mean,” Sciba said.
Sciba shared that she had to learn the meanings of and responses to different local emergency sirens since she did not grow up in Columbus.
“Have we considered putting that kind of information in the mailer the first week of school… Have we asked the hotels and campsites to post it so that people who are visiting will know what happens in the event that there is a very small likelihood that a event of this nature is going on?” Sciba said.
Currently, the city utilizes a texting program called Text My Gov to provide emergency updates and allow residents to pay bills, view agendas and ordinances, report loose dogs or fallen trees and more. Text “Hi” to (979) 859-5597 to opt in.
City Secretary Bana Schneider said that not a lot of people have signed up for the texting program. Mayor Lori An Gobert said she would coordinate with large store owners to receive updates from the texting service to share over an intercom in the event of an emergency.
Home water service line warranty program Warschak shared that multiple residents reported receiving letters from American Water Resources of Texas offering warranty programs for their water lines. Schneider said that citizens recently had to do an online lead copper inventory of their services lines, possibly prompting the letters.
“It has nothing to do with the city. We are not associated with it; we are not sponsoring it,” Warschak said. “If they want to take a policy out, that’s between them and the company.”
The city council also approved street closures for the county fair parade and funding for concrete golf cart paths. The council wrapped up by reviewing plans for future meetings and working on the city’s budget.
