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<br />SUCCESS STORIES
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<br />acquire ownership. This is being negotiated as administrative policy demands contamination-free land
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<br />before acquisition, which greatly escalates the cost and hardship.
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<br />UTILITY/INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT Last but of utmost importance, were the city's fail,
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<br />ing utility systems. Our ,"vater system was inadequate both in flow and pressure to serve the business
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<br />park or even guarantee proper fire protection. We had been negotiating for several years \vith EDA for
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<br />a new south side tower and received a $974,280 grant. To realize the economic advantage, we upgraded
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<br />the entire system at a cost of $2.6 million. It went into operation early in 1995.
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<br />Since the flooding in 1990, our wastewater treatment plant, located in the floodway on an elevated
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<br />monnd, has not provided treatment sufficient to aUm", main extension and we have been under mora-
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<br />torium. A new $5.5 million plant out of the floodway went into operation in the summer of 1996. Rural
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<br />Development (formerly Farmers Home Administration) provided a grant of $2,747,000 and lent us the
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<br />remainder. The old plant will be removed at a cost of $250,000 from the unused contingency in the
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<br />plant project, providing added parkland, lowering the base flood level 6 to 12 inches, and reducing the
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<br />water velocity during flooding.
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<br />This month we also received notice that we are the recipients of a $108,000 grant from the Depart,
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<br />ment of Development's public facility fund. It will be used to install a new lift station on the northwest
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<br />side of the community. This is a problem area during flooding, when many homes occupied primarily
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<br />by the elderly or young families experienced sewage backup in their basements.
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<br />CONCLUSION Darlington has worked continuously and aggressively to mitigate and reduce dam,
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<br />age incurred by businesses and residents during flooding. We "vant to recognize the agencies, their per-
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<br />sonnel, and those who have worked so hard and been sensitive to our needs. This was to be a model
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<br />project so we want it to be a "model of success." So often, regulatory issues look good on paper, but
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<br />in the real '\-vorld don't accomplish what is intended but merely elevate the cost beyond evaluation or
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<br />expectation. Each project encounters its own challenges and flexibility is imperative.
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<br />Our objective is that through flood mitigation we '\-'\Till be able to change our river's image to a positive
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<br />one, accomplish historic preservation, economic revitalization, contamination remediation, and be a safe,
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<br />prosperous, and viable community for generations to come. Therefore, we have erected signs at the four
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<br />major community entrances, financed through a fund drive by the local Chamber of Commerce, stating,
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<br />"Darlington, The Pearl of the Pecatonica" . . . ,,,,here the river flows and opportunity grows!
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<br />For more information, contact Bev Anderson, City of Darlington, 530 Washington Street,
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<br />Darlington, Wisconsin 53530, (608) 776-4093.
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<br />NATURE BATS LAST: TULSA'S FLOOD STORY
<br />BY ANN PATTON COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MANAGER, CITY OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA
<br />It was 3 a.m. The newly elected city commissioner, in office only 19 days, was jarred from fitful sleep by
<br />the loud ringing of his bedside phone.
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<br />Sue c e 5 s Sf 0 r i e s 5
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