The City of Alexandria has established a cross-departmental "strike team" to focus on stormwater management, specifically areas that flood and affect residents and businesses.
"The rapid-response team, which includes representatives from eight City departments, will accelerate development of policy, planning, investment, and funding to address neighborhood flooding," according to a City of Alexandria release. "This team will make recommendations to the City Manager for future consideration by City Council, and will provide opportunities for public engagement and technical assistance to residents and businesses affected by flooding."
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The strike team will be led by Transportation & Environmental Services. Plans are to "analyze existing stormwater capital and operating plans and budgets; consider strategies to accelerate projects focused on increasing the capacity of the City's stormwater system; and make recommendations in other key areas to aggressively improve the City's ability to withstand severe rainfall and flooding events." Both short-term and long-term solution development is on the table.
In addition to T&ES, staff members from the City Attorney’s Office; Office of Management and Budget; and Departments of Code Administration; Fire; Information Technology Services; Planning and Zoning; and Project Implementation are on the team. Other departments will assist as needed.
The strike team held its first meeting on October 1. The team will provide a written report to the City Manager by the end of the calendar year
The City Manager Mark Jinks plans to recommend to City Council that $2 million from unspent FY2020 City general funds be allocated to a contingent to fund additional stormwater mitigation activities in this fiscal year.
