Only one mess but not mysteries clearing up.

[imwjl]

One of the shootings that made national news this week was less than a mile from my house. All that went on was quite something and I was frustrated by continued street closures - my pedestrian and bike safe way to get places - but now I realize a lot of it was all the belongings that were left because of the active shooter situation.

This was less than a month after the flooding where parts of my neighborhood are still in ruins or underwater.

I think what happened with the flooding and the school bus shooting that happened same day are more outside of normal. I've got concerns about our city's FEMA claims based on other things going on. Barely 15 min west we still have two bridges out on a US highway.

One thing for sure is a rethink of public goods. 12 years ago I was on a city council committee when not everyone supported the small city's very big spending to improve police and fire infrastructure and training. In the peak of the flooding and people needing rescue there was also a fire call around the corner from me. I wondered where that family's thoughts were on the spending when $ millions of fire trucks and lights and gear got through 3-4 feet of water and lit up the night while power was out. For the shooting a lot isn't known yet but but 2 of our local officers and 2 sheriff deputies were in the building and shot the suspect 8 minutes after the the 911 call was received. An associate who works in that area said it got so chaotic so fast that he was thankful for trained officers and how fast even more got there.

With $45 million of flood damage to a 17,000 person town I have a feeling the washed away street and new waterfall created a few blocks from home will be there for a while. Rain from the past 3 days is keeping the pond a block away over sidewalks but not back on roads.

Our community is pretty good about collaborating so I'm sure we'll get this stuff all fixed up. I have a feeling it will be a lot worse in other parts of the country or our state.

[Mr. Jelly]

45,000,000 / 1,700 = 26,470.58


Just a thought.

[Nyghthawk]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

45,000,000 / 1,700 = 26,470.58


Just a thought.

Which is why it takes a state or even a nation to join in the effort to clean up a relatively local disaster. No insult intended to Mr. Jelly but most people have a minor grasp, if that, of public finance and how it works (or doesn't).

My deepest sympathies to those affected by this one.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

Which is why it takes a state or even a nation to join in the effort to clean up a relatively local disaster. No insult intended to Mr. Jelly but most people have a minor grasp, if that, of public finance and how it works (or doesn't).

My deepest sympathies to those affected by this one.

Thank you. We'll survive our own damage not covered by insurance. Yesterday they guided people who abandoned their belongings at the shooting area to get them so roads will open today.

He got the comma wrong but still, the city went through cash reserves in a hurry. Our state was early in political changes that limit a city's ability to tax so that's been a challenge but we're a place where people still do a good job of collaborating and we've already done stuff where many local governments are in deadlock or impasse.

Mostly I'm glad we (the city) made the decisions we did 10-12 years ago. We had natural and gun disaster happen either side of our home in the past month. It was very good to be in quality place with the resources and training for it.

[RedJoker]

Sheesh... with all that going on, might I suggest trying a few of the suggestions in the beer thread? Sounds like you could use a cold one!

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by RedJoker

Sheesh... with all that going on, might I suggest trying a few of the suggestions in the beer thread? Sounds like you could use a cold one!

Thank you. We'll be fine. I've been though worse in life. At some point in the future we'll finish an unexpected econo style basement remodeling. We didn't lose furnace or anything like that. It was freaky because you'd never think our house would have water problems if not for 14 inches of rain falling in a few hours of an already big wet spell.

To your other point, there are local only unpasteurized ales and Spaten Oktoberfest in the fridge. I have to do a task in the data center and will do bike instead of car. That should be be a nice combo of fresh air and earning a beer and dinner.

[guitar george]

$45,000,000.00 flood damage in a town of 17,000 = $2,647.06 per person.