BLAINE, Minn. – (Feb. 16, 2017) – “I don’t blame people for being angry,” said Blaine Mayor Tom Ryan.
Mayor Ryan said his phone was ringing off the hook with angry Blaine residents. A month after the water system ran dry in the city another problem had occurred. This time it was low pressure.
“The system as far as I’m concerned is not where it is suppose to be right now and I guarantee, I don’t care what it cost, it’s going to be right. You can’t penny pinch this thing, this is costing everybody a lot of money and a lot of heartache and a lot of bad feelings. A big embarrassment,” said Mayor Ryan.
In each case the water system did not send automated alert messages to on call public works staff. The cause of the communication failure was different in each instance.
“They are unrelated. One was what we’ll call software related. This one was a mechanical failure. A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) backup battery corroded and took out the UPS which then took out that panel,” said Blaine public services manger Bob Therres.
The city is taking several steps to make sure that the problem does not happen a third time. They have brought in an outside consultant to review the entire system and to suggest improvements. Additionally, they are taking steps to have more eyes monitoring the water supply.
“One of the steps we have taken is we will have staff monitor everyday. Weekends and holidays we will have someone come in and look at the system,” said Therres.
The Mayor also wants additional eyes on the public works department. The oversight of the department was added to another senior staffers responsibility when the former department director left a few years ago.
“We don’t have a public works director and I guarantee you there is going to be a public works director. One person can’t do two departments or three. We should have done it last year. Mike’s been gone a couple years and there is 68 employees over there. You need eyes on them,” said Mayor Ryan.
City staff know they have a big job ahead of them as they work to regain the confidence of the residents. “We are doing everything in our powers to have the safest, most redundant system in the state,” said Therres. “I never want to go through this again and I think it would be the first time in the history of the state of Minnesota that is would happen three times,” said Mayor Ryan.
The city council will continue to ask questions and take any action they feel is necessary.
“It is my job, if somebody doesn’t do their job. Either remove them or ask them for their resignation or discipline. I don’t have to do that very much here but I’m to a point now where we need to look at the whole system. Not pick on people, just get it right,” said Mayor Ryan.
The investigations and external review of the water system will continue. Discussions are also underway with the company responsible for the installation of the computer system that monitors the water supply. To insure that the system is installed and functioning properly.
