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COLUMBIANA-- After a truck versus electric pole incident was taken care of last week in efficient fashion, city manager Lance Willard thanked electric superintendent Doug Sturgeon, Police Chief Tim Gladis and other city staff at Tuesday's city council meeting for working together and safely repairing the damage.
"We really appreciate the Incident Command Procedure that was set up," Willard said. "It's great to see that, especially in emergency, departments can work together that well."
When the crash took place on North Main Street, it caused live wires to spark on the ground. Gladis said it was an extremely dangerous situation, especially on a rainy day. Willard and Gladis both credited the Incident Command System, Unified Command System and the ability of all of the departments to address every aspect of the situation.
When Sturgeon cut out the power during the evacuation, Gladis handled the traffic situation during the busiest time of the day.
"These systems don't work unless everyone is trained and on board," Gladis said. "We all know what each other does, and it was a pleasure to get something done while working together."
In other business, the electric department spoke with AMP staff to discuss the future of the city's utility. Some of the issues discussed were remote thermostats for residents, smart electric meters, free economic development tools, free online resources for operations and electric charging stations. Willard said that the installation of charging stations could be a goal for the 2020 year.
Willard said he will begin to attend a monthly meeting called the HUB, which will ensure that the chamber of commerce, tourism and the city continue to communicate and collaborate throughout the year.
"I think it's important for us not to be working parallel," Willard said.
Willard emphasized the help of Larry Webber and the East Fairfield Church for all of their help with the Joy of Christmas. He added that Joy of Christmas has been packed almost every day, and he expects this will be a record year.
Tuesday also marked the final council meeting for Crystal Siembida-Boggs, who thanked council for working with her and shared how much she enjoyed her time as a councilwoman.
"Through the course of my time up here, I voted with everyone's best interest in mind," Boggs said. "While my vote wasn't always the most outspoken of our citizens, I tried to represent every one of those voices who approached me and asked to be heard."
The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 14.
slendak@mojonews.com