City Council Minutes 2022 01 04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes January 4, 2022 Page 4 of 8 Mayor Stolzmann stated it was evident that the Fire Department saved much of the community and we would have been much worse off without the actions the firefighters took that day. Councilmember Fahey agreed. City Manager Durbin stated the water team also deserves great credit for working tirelessly through the night to keep the water flowing for the fire teams. He stated reentry is a priority for the City. There are many unsafe areas now and we are working on safety guidelines. We hope to get people in, possibly as early as tomorrow. He asked people to use caution as reentry begins. He stated debris removal will be a priority moving forward and we will be working on a comprehensive plan for removal from both private and public property. It will be very expensive so we are working with the State and FEMA to get as much reimbursement as possible but it will take some time to get a plan in place. Air quality is a concern as well. Public Health is putting guidelines together on that. Getting all of our residents back into town is important. We are working on a plan for rebuilding including a permitting process specific for those rebuilding. City Manager Durbin thanked everyone for the water donations. Water pick up is available for everyone in town as we are under a boil water notice. Staff is working with the State to test water so we can get it back on as soon as possible. Testing is important so that we know the water is safe when the boil water notice is lifted.. It may be a few days before that happens. He encouraged those affected to visit the Disaster Assistance Center to get information, resources, and support. Mayor Pro Tern Maloney stated this is devastating for the community but we are all neighbors and we are in this together. He thanked the first responders that came in from all over the state as well as our own Police and Fire staff. He stated there were heroic efforts on the part of many City staff. He thanked everyone for the water donations and also thanked Xcel for getting everyone's power back on as quickly as they can. He stated this event will define the Council's work plan for the coming years and we will commit to rebuilding for our City and our neighbors. Councilmember Fahey also thanked everyone for taking care of each other. She thanked staff for their work as well. Councilmember Brown stated his heart goes out to everyone who lost a home and for all the losses the community has suffered. He stated he is grateful for everyone who has come out to donate and help our community.