By Nancy Covert, Steilacoom
Steilacoom’s Community Center suffered some damage during Monday night’s windstorm. A tree snapped off and broke through the recently installed roof, reported Mark Burlingame, Steilacoom’s Public Works Director.
The tree spear crashed through the center’s gallery area, but a repair crew had it removed and repaired by Tuesday noon.
Aside from downed trees around town, however, the community weathered this latest storm well. Town crew members worked through the night ensuring that essential services were operating. Burlingame added that Public Works was well prepared since they’d spent the two previous weeks honing equipment in anticipation of winter storms. That preparation paid off well.
The newly restored Martin Street culvert was checked often during that time to ensure it did what it was supposed to do,” reported Mayor Ron Lucas.
Monday night’s storm with its 40-50 mph winds brought out the best in Steilacoom residents, reported Mark Burlingame at Tuesday evening’s Town Council Meeting in Steilacoom. The Town’s Public Works Director recapped the previous evening’s power outage that interrupted electric service to Steilacoom customers between 10 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.
Town crew members, Burlingame said, worked through the night to ensure that downed trees were removed.
“It’s amazing how quickly community and crew members came together. Councilmember Marion Smith reported how short a time it seemed between the sound of a tree falling and the start-up sounds of chain saws. Mayor Lucas advised that clean up would continue during the next several days.
Burlingame then presented the town’s Snow and Ice Control Map plan. It indicates the roads that will receive priority attention when snow falls.
That same evening council passed Ordinance #1470; authorizing six percent utility rate increases in both storm drain and sewer services. The increases, explained Paul Loveless, Town Administrator, amounts to $3.22 per month. While increases in electric utility rates are not planned for 2011, Council will be considering increases in 2012.