Monongahela extends emergency declaration

By Eric Seiverling
eseiverling@yourmvi.com

Monongahela council voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the city’s emergency declaration and keep it in effect indefinitely until revoked by council.
The declaration, announced by Mayor Greg Garry Friday after heavy rains and a collapsed drainpipe caused 3 feet of water to flood the city’s fire station Thursday night, was scheduled to expire at midnight Wednesday.
The declaration covers the area of West Main, Lebanon and Sixth streets along the Monongahela River.
The declaration directs all Monongahela departments to render any and all required and available assistance to the emergency area to correct, repair or replace the stormwater pipe.
The declaration also allows residents, businesses or any government entity impacted by the floods to seek assistance from state and federal agencies.
All competitive bidding and advertisements and notice requirements are also suspended.
Wednesday’s vote coincided with council also approving a cost estimate from the city’s engineers, Mackin Engineering, for a new design project to install a sewer pipeline under the police station, which is connected to the fire station on West Main Street.
The police station’s parking lot saw heavy ponding, but only a few inches of water made it into the police station.
Solicitor Todd Pappasergi said since the city has never completed a design project with the engineers, determining a cost for the project would be a good start.
“We don’t have a gauge for their design costs,” Pappasergi said.
On Monday, a pump was brought in to remove rocks and debris within a sinkhole that had been filled underneath railroad tracks along Railroad Street. The tracks are owned by Virginia-based Norfolk Southern Corp.
The sewer pipe is located at Fifth Street and drains into the Monongahela River behind the fire station.
In 2019, the city applied for a Storm Sewer Safety Upgrade through the county’s Local Share Account grant. In 2020, the city was approved for the grant, but city officials say obtaining a permit from Norfolk Southern Corp. has taken longer than expected.

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