One raging wash and a leaky water tank
By Linda Bentley | January 27, 2010
CAVE CREEK – During the Jan. 25 council meeting, Mayor Vincent Francia thanked Building Official Mike Baxley, Rural/Metro Fire Chief John Kraetz, Town Marshal Adam Stein, Vice Mayor Ernie Bunch and a “very brave helicopter pilot,” for their assistance during the recent storm.
Building Official Mike Baxley displayed an aerial photo of the Copenhavers’ home that was undermined during last week’s storm, where Baxley estimated about 80 feet of frontage along Cave Creek Wash was eaten away as water moved through the wash at 13,000 CFS.
Stein explained how a helicopter rescue came about, after a young man decided to drive his smaller, older “Type II Bronco” into Galloway Wash in front of Kraetz, who happened to be on the phone with Stein at the time.
Bunch left the dais to speak during Call to the Public.
He said the recent runoff event completely changed the complexion of Cave Creek Wash, which now has a dominant channel on the east side of the wash from the Creek Canyon crossing to below 48th Street.
He said the staggering amount of new material deposited in the center of the wash will continue to scour the sides and claim more property during lesser flow events.
As a possible solution, Bunch suggested leasing a sand and gravel operation to an operator, just below the new Water Ranch, where reclaimed water could also be sold for dust control.
By a vote of 6-1, with Bunch dissenting, council voted to award a bid to United Truck & Equipment in an amount not to exceed $14,647.58 for the purchase and installation of a replacement 4,000 gallon water tank for the Public Works Department water truck.
According to Town Engineer Wayne Anderson, the water truck is 10 years old, has 34,770 miles, is worth $12,000 to $15,000, and with a new tank, could last another 10 years.
The price quoted by United to repair the tank was $6,227 and was estimated to last only two to three years.
Bunch was concerned the tank repair bid was from the same company, United, that sells new tanks.