Sunday, December 11, 2011
Britson Park & Athletic Complex Brick Sale
Support the new Britson Park & Athletic Complex with a donation brick. Put your own name, or remember a loved one, with an inscription on a brick for a walkway at Britson Park. 4" by 8" bricks are $100, and 8" by 8" bricks are for donations of $200 or above. Bricks make a great Christmas gift for the parent who has "everything". www.britsonpark.org for more information on the project and how to donate.
Political Season
It is political season again in Iowa. I know most people hate the ads, and hate the calls, and all that. I enjoy it in a sick sorta way. Here is an ad that I get a hoot out of. How many presidential ads mention shitzus and use heavy metal music?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Emergency Management rep
I am potentially looking for a representative for Roland on the Emergency Management Board for Story County. Mayors are typically the person on the Board, but they can appoint someone else to fill in for them. With moving our council meetings to Wednesday, they will overlap with the Emergency Management meetings, so I will not be able to attend without skipping a council meeting.
So if you have an interest in Emergency Management, let me know, and maybe we can work something out.
HERE is their website
So if you have an interest in Emergency Management, let me know, and maybe we can work something out.
HERE is their website
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
New sign
In case you haven't noticed, RADC has got the new message board sign installed just north of Casey's, and easily seen from the corner of Main and Maple. I believe they are still working on programming it. The sign will be used for community messages, and I also believe you will be able to buy messages for the sale of things, or happy birthdays, or whatever. Not sure on the details of that yet, but will post here when I find out. I'll also try to get a photo of it on here as well. Another improvement for Roland. Yay!
Nov 28 Council meeting
Missed this meeting. But something was done to help prevent me missing meetings. Starting in January, council meetings will move to the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, based on an ordinance that was passed.
I also heard that a discussion was held about having a town meeting for citizen input regarding our sewer system. The council wants input on whether to spend money relining our existing sewer lines, or to spend money putting in a newer, larger main pipe from the pool to the sewer plant. They each have their advantages. More to come on that.
I don't know that anything earth shaking came out of the meeting. December will only have one council meeting per usual. It will be on Monday, December 12.
I also heard that a discussion was held about having a town meeting for citizen input regarding our sewer system. The council wants input on whether to spend money relining our existing sewer lines, or to spend money putting in a newer, larger main pipe from the pool to the sewer plant. They each have their advantages. More to come on that.
I don't know that anything earth shaking came out of the meeting. December will only have one council meeting per usual. It will be on Monday, December 12.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Gas service is restored
Natural Gas service has been restored to all of Roland. As of 1130AM, 15 homes still do not have gas service, as Alliant has been unable to contact the homeowner. Unlike electric, where they can just turn the power back on, for gas, they had to shutoff at the meters to each house. Then, when contact with the homeowner is made, Alliant will turn on the meter, and then assist in lighting pilot lights. Depending on the device, if the pilot light is not lit, gas would just flow, and obviously cause a really big flame if somebody were to spark something in a house. So that is why each homeowner needs a personal contact.
I had to work last night for my real job. I got back into Roland about 2:30 AM and stopped down at City Hall. A team lead was there keep track of the efforts, and there were 12 Alliant employees helping to restore service to homes. It was a nice thing it was not that cold last night, about 40 degrees at 3AM, so people shouldn't have gotten too cold without their gas service.
All in all, this went pretty well. We had help from the Story City fire department, with the lead by the Roland Fire Department, in securing the area, and notifying residents about the event.
Story County Emergency Management had both employees in town, helping co-ordinate efforts, and make sure the "evacuation shelters" were open.
Just got off the phone with Keith Morgan, Emergency Management Director for Story County. He wanted to emphasize it would really help if we could get ahold of the 15 homeowners. I don't want to list who they are here on a public forum. But if you know someone who is out of town for the holiday, and might not have their gas turned back on yet, please let me know, or have them call Alliant at 800-822-4348. The nice thing is the temperature is not going to drop below freezing until Saturday night, there is still time to find people and get their heat turned back on.
I had to work last night for my real job. I got back into Roland about 2:30 AM and stopped down at City Hall. A team lead was there keep track of the efforts, and there were 12 Alliant employees helping to restore service to homes. It was a nice thing it was not that cold last night, about 40 degrees at 3AM, so people shouldn't have gotten too cold without their gas service.
All in all, this went pretty well. We had help from the Story City fire department, with the lead by the Roland Fire Department, in securing the area, and notifying residents about the event.
Story County Emergency Management had both employees in town, helping co-ordinate efforts, and make sure the "evacuation shelters" were open.
Just got off the phone with Keith Morgan, Emergency Management Director for Story County. He wanted to emphasize it would really help if we could get ahold of the 15 homeowners. I don't want to list who they are here on a public forum. But if you know someone who is out of town for the holiday, and might not have their gas turned back on yet, please let me know, or have them call Alliant at 800-822-4348. The nice thing is the temperature is not going to drop below freezing until Saturday night, there is still time to find people and get their heat turned back on.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Gas line cut and evacuation
Just the facts....
Ok, here is what I know about the events of Tuesday evening.
A contractor was putting in a new phone cable, and while boring, hit a gas line about 4PM. (key point, this was not Alliant or the City of Roland's fault!) Initially they didn't think it was a big deal. But that proved to be wrong. Alliant was called, and there were no shutoffs in the immediate vicinity, so they needed to shut the gas off of approximately 95 homes.
It was also discovered that natural gas was getting into the sewer system. That obviously could cause an explosion problem, especially into homes that are not plumbed properly, and if the gas could collect inside a house. So the decision was made to shut off electricity to homes in the affected area.
Because of the explosion risk, Alliant and Story County Emergency Management worked together to decide the evacuation area. The community center was opened as a place for those who needed to evacuate to hang out.
The power grid shutdown also affected the east side of Main Street, so the evac location was moved to the American Legion, across the street. The Library was also opened as a bit of a more friendly place for people with kids, than the American Legion.
By 930PM, the gas had been turned off, and Alliant was confident the gas had dissipated enough, that there was no explosion risk, so power was turned back on, and people could return to their homes if they wanted. However, the gas was going to remain off until the line was fixed.
Alliant went to all the homes where gas was turned off, and actually turned the gas off at the meters. When gas service is restored, Alliant will visit all homes and offer to light pilot lights. They will do this as soon as it is fixed, even if it is in the middle of the night. They will be hanging tags on the doors of homes that have been visited.
City Hall is being used as an operations center by Alliant, where they are keeping track of what homes have gas off, and will be checking off the homes that have service restored-and pilot lights lit, when that time comes.
That's pretty much what I have for now. Thanks for your cooperation, for those that had to evacuate. With a couple of exceptions, the reports that I have been given indicate people have been very cooperative, so that was nice to hear. Obviously all the interested agencies want to err on the safe side with the potential "explosive" situation. More details here when I get them.
Ok, here is what I know about the events of Tuesday evening.
A contractor was putting in a new phone cable, and while boring, hit a gas line about 4PM. (key point, this was not Alliant or the City of Roland's fault!) Initially they didn't think it was a big deal. But that proved to be wrong. Alliant was called, and there were no shutoffs in the immediate vicinity, so they needed to shut the gas off of approximately 95 homes.
It was also discovered that natural gas was getting into the sewer system. That obviously could cause an explosion problem, especially into homes that are not plumbed properly, and if the gas could collect inside a house. So the decision was made to shut off electricity to homes in the affected area.
Because of the explosion risk, Alliant and Story County Emergency Management worked together to decide the evacuation area. The community center was opened as a place for those who needed to evacuate to hang out.
The power grid shutdown also affected the east side of Main Street, so the evac location was moved to the American Legion, across the street. The Library was also opened as a bit of a more friendly place for people with kids, than the American Legion.
By 930PM, the gas had been turned off, and Alliant was confident the gas had dissipated enough, that there was no explosion risk, so power was turned back on, and people could return to their homes if they wanted. However, the gas was going to remain off until the line was fixed.
Alliant went to all the homes where gas was turned off, and actually turned the gas off at the meters. When gas service is restored, Alliant will visit all homes and offer to light pilot lights. They will do this as soon as it is fixed, even if it is in the middle of the night. They will be hanging tags on the doors of homes that have been visited.
City Hall is being used as an operations center by Alliant, where they are keeping track of what homes have gas off, and will be checking off the homes that have service restored-and pilot lights lit, when that time comes.
That's pretty much what I have for now. Thanks for your cooperation, for those that had to evacuate. With a couple of exceptions, the reports that I have been given indicate people have been very cooperative, so that was nice to hear. Obviously all the interested agencies want to err on the safe side with the potential "explosive" situation. More details here when I get them.
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