Saturday, March 12, 2011
We dodged another one.
Thank God, We didn't get the rainfall that was forecast. The walls of Solomons creek would NEVER have taken it.
Last Sept. I posted about this Not once but twice.
The facts are simple. $50 million (That's right 50,000,000 dollars) was to be used to fix 4 bridges, that cost about $11.2 million, and the rest, $38.8 million, was to be used for 'rebuilding walls and the natural bed channel along the entire length of the creek -- a span of about 5 miles.' (Oct 21, 2007 The Times Leader). Nothing was done. Where is the money? Did it disappear? Did we not get it (We got some, I mean the bridges were done) and if we didn't get it, isn't it Leightons JOB to fight for it? I mean it was 'cleared'. 'The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 381-40 and the Senate passed the measure 81-12.' (Oct 21, 2007 The Times Leader).
'The project consists of a detention basin upstream of South Main Street, a 48-foot-wide concrete channel from South Main Street to Division Street, and a 60-foot-wide natural bed channel from Division Street to the Solomon Creek pump station in Hanover Township.' (Oct 21, 2007 The Times Leader)
And the money was definately passed by Nov 21, 2007. "Northeastern Pennsylvania will benefit from the first override vote of President Bush's administration to the tune of $50 million in federal funding for Wilkes-Barre's Solomon Creek Flood Control Project."(Nov 21, 2007 The Times Leader).
And was confirmed on the city's website
'SOLOMON AND LAUREL RUN CREEK REPAIRS ANNOUNCED
WILKES-BARRE - On Tuesday, November 9, at 2:00 p.m., Mayor Leighton held a press conference to announce the details of the wall repairs to Solomon and Laurel Run Creeks.
Sectional repairs will be made to both Solomon and Laurel Run Creeks in order to increase creek wall stabilization and protect the area from any potential flooding. The repair work to Solomon Creek is expected to take place from November 3 - December 7, and the repair work to Laurel Run Creek is expected to take place from November 10 - December 15. The total low bid for both repair projects was $438,220, the funding of which was secured through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank Loan Program.
The creek walls were heavily damaged in recent years due to flooding. Federal funding to repair Solomon Creek in its entirety, estimated at a cost of $50 million, continues to be sought.
"The repair work to both Solomon and Laurel Run Creeks help make the neighborhoods safer, and serve as protection against flooding and pedestrian accidents," said Mayor Leighton. "I thank the neighbors for their patience as my administration works to secure Federal funding in order to continue this vital stabilization project."
Repair work is being performed by Kriger Construction, Inc., and the designer for the project is Borton/Lawson Engineers. For more information, please contact the City of Wilkes-Barre's Department of Operations at 570.208.4177.'
Since NOTHING was done to the creek bed or the walls, I want to know Mr. Leighton, WHERE IS OUR MONEY?! WHERE DID THE $38.8 MILLION GO??!!
Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote
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