Living in a small town like Cordova, with a population that fluctuates from about 2,500 residents in winter to doubling that number during fishing season from May through September, it’s easy to overlook the folks behind the scenes who keep Cordova running.
Cordova’s Public Works Department, headed by director/engineer Rich Rogers, is comprised of the streets, refuse, water/sewer, facilities and planning departments.
Rogers said the department’s biggest accomplishment was the completion of the Cordova Center.
City Facilities superintendent Weston Bennet and public information officer Cathy Sherman led the charge to see the new building completed. The center houses the city’s business offices, the public library and museum, an art gallery, theater, conference rooms, a full kitchen, public education rooms, an atrium and more.
Upgrading Cordova’s water systems
The Public Works Department also engineered and installed upgrades to the city’s water system.
“Other major projects which took place this year,” Rogers said, “Are the engineering and installation of LT2 ultraviolet (UV) reactors without any interruption or issue at our three mountain stream water sources. This was led by Joel Felix, Leif Stavig and Sam Greenwood.”
Felix is with the water and sewer department. Stavig is the city’s assistant planner and Greenwood is the city planner.
LT2 refers to the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, which is a modification of the 1973 Safe Drinking Water Act that was adopted on March 6, 2006 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The rule put in place more stringent treatment requirements for surface drinking water, for the stated purpose of controlling spread of the microorganism Cryptosporidium.
Paving the way to better streets
Bill Howard has worked to keep the streets of Cordova running smoothly for more than 20 years. His colleagues include Mike Arvidson, a 12-year veteran of the City; Jim Cardwell and Matt Garner, who’ve been with the city about a year; and the shop mechanics are Chris Bolin, with five years under his belt, and Mark Wegner, with one year as a city employee.
Greenwood and Howard took the lead on a $2 million paving project this summer, Rogers said, which was funded by a public bond.
This allowed improvements to be done to Railroad Avenue, Nicholoff Way and the Harbor Loop Road, and the department completed the Crater Lake Feasibility Study, which potentially may be a $20 million project in the future.
Additionally, the street crews conducted annual chip sealing of city streets – Water Street, Spruce Street, Mt. Eccles, Railroad Avenue and other miscellaneous paving work ($80,000 from the annual operations and maintenance budget); worked on street drainage upgrades at Coast Guard Housing and on Railroad Avenue, $30,000 (from the annual operations and maintenance budget); repaired 770 potholes thus far in 2016 ($80,000 from the annual operations and maintenance budget); and did a regrade of the slope behind the old library ($20,000 from the annual operations and maintenance budget).
“We have talented and dedicated people who care about Cordova,” Rogers said, “Who care about doing a good job, despite quietly enduring periodic caustic, cheap and uninformed comments from citizens about the work ethic of city employees.”
City repairs windows at Mt. Eccles Elementary School
Windows in one classroom at Mt. Eccles Elementary School leaked for several years.
The windows were repaired this summer.
“Apparently the windows have been leaking for seven-plus years,” Rogers said, “And have been the subject of much wailing and gnashing of teeth. In last year’s budget we had a figure of $70,000 to conduct repairs or limited window replacements, once we better identified the source of the leaks (at the school).”
Rogers said the Public Works Department had architectural reports from 2011 detailing some of the problems, but the exact location of the incoming water has been hidden.
“Following a public request for proposals, city facilities superintendent Weston Bennett successfully retained Frontier Glass,” Rogers said, “To identify the weak points and to repair them with new caulking and flashing repairs.”
The leakage is now about 98-percent contained, he said, as evidenced by minimal water intrusion even during the storm that fiercely blew through Cordova on Sept. 21.
What residents should know
There’s no time for the department to rest on their laurels.
Upgrades to old systems, repairs and maintenance on existing systems that are in place are ongoing, a part of the day-to-day operation of the Public Works Department.
“What we’d like the public to be aware of,” Rogers said, “Are the upgrades to the water system under the post-LT2 Project, with $3.8 million of grant/loans which were approved by public vote, that will modernize our SCADA system at the Eyak Plant, recoat four of our large water tanks and install new chlorine generators for our three mountain source streams.”
SCADA is an acronym for supervisory control and data acquisition, and is a system for remote monitoring and control that operates with coded signals over communication channels, typically using one communication channel per remote station.
A $6 million potential grant/loan project through USDA for landfill and baler and refuse equipment upgrades, which is very early in the application process.
How can locals help keep Cordova running?
While keeping up on the affairs of the city may seem a daunting task at first, it can be done.
“Attend Council and commission meetings to stay informed and cognizant, and vigilant,” Rogers said. “Write a letter to councilmembers to keep them attuned to the needs of our citizenry. Pass on a nice word about a City employee doing good work.”
Rogers said he is available to the public works needs of Cordova’s residents.
“Call me at 253-6224, if you see City public work activities that need improvement,” said Rogers.
How can you help?
Support Cordova’s recycling programs and be a conscious part of the recycling stream. Conserve water every summer.
“Drive slowly around street workers and in the school zones,” Rogers said. “Get informed about the potential Crater Lake Project (see the city website). Stay away from snow removal equipment/crews in winter months, due to limited visibility and slippery conditions.”
Upgrading citywide recycling and refuse efforts
The department has upgraded recycling efforts in the community, upgraded waste collection practices, and upgraded baler and landfill operations, led by Aaron Muma, director of Cordova’s refuse division.
There are always ongoing projects in the City Public Works Department and more than what have been touched upon here.
For more information on the City Public Works Department and the City of Cordova, visit
cityofcordova.net.
For information on the Cordova Center, visit
thecordovacenter.org.
