Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown and Fire Chief Jay Delaney are seen in a file photo.
Times Leader file photo
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WILKES-BARRE — If approved, a project to be put before City Council tonight could bring a reduction in flood insurance for hundreds of buildings, and financial relief to 800 properties in the city and Hanover township.
A proposal by Mayor George Brown would see council give its OK to award the Solomon Creek Letter of Map Revision, or LOMR, application contract to Borton Lawson Engineering, LLC, for $76,500.
Borton Lawson, which performed an initial feasibility study, would undertake a more detailed analysis whose findings would be presented to the Federal Emergency Management agency along with an application seeking map revisions; those revisions would lower the risk designation for properties in areas where the flood control system has been improved.
Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney, who also serves as the city’s Emergency Management Coordinator, explained the key points of the project at Tuesday night’s Council work session. An earlier Times Leader story incorrectly attributed the remarks to a different city official.
According to information provided by Chief Delaney:
“The city of Wilkes-Barre has three creeks that originate outside the city of Wilkes-Barre but flow through the city to get to the Susquehanna River. Much of that infrastructure was built during the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s. There have been a lot of upgrades over the years including six bridges that have been replaced and swinging parapet closure structures (flood gates).
“We now have more precise data and a much higher level of software for the engineers and engineering company to use for their calculations.
“With Mayor Brown’s support and the authorization by city council Borton-Lawson Engineering, LLC will begin the LOMR project following all the federal FEMA guidelines.
“Preliminary estimates of the floodplain reduction show that approximately 739 parcels in the city of Wilkes-Barre would be positively impacted by a LOMR. The project duration should be approximately six months. Two to three months for the engineers review and another 90 days for the FEMA review.
“This LOMR is also a great partnership between the City of Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township, which has 154 properties in the preliminary floodplain reduction area.
“While there is no guarantee with a LOMR, the city of Wilkes-Barre has spent millions of dollars along the Solomon Creek area for flood protection. We remain very hopeful for a positive LOMR benefit for the residents that may be affected.
“To comply with federal regulations, all landowners who will be affected by the proposed map revisions will be notified by certified mail. In addition to an individual notice a public notice identifying the intent to change the flood hazard mapping must be published in the local newspapers and will be included in the LOMR submittal package.”