Stewart Nelson

Growing up I spent a lot of time with my friends exploring the storm sewers on Scio Church Road. (I am sure some of you reading this know where they are.) I lived on Weldon Blvd so after a short walk we could spend a half day spelunking on a warm summer afternoon and fantasize about “giant ants” living and breeding just around the next bend of the large concrete jungle.  All that was before kids could actually slay imaginary creatures with “real blood spilled” right in the comfort of their own room on a computer screen.  I must admit that after 1965 I spent more time above ground than below and now the memories of that underground maize of concrete tubes has faded into black and white.  Sometimes I wonder if the ants are still there.

I am sure that if you are like me you don’t really think about how our drinking, storm and waste water are distributed about the city until something goes wrong.  We are fortunate that the things we take for granted are in very professional hands.  Last week I spent an hour with the brains behind the Waste Treatment Plant and this week I met with their boss, Sue McCormick.  Sue refers to her organization as “Infrastructure R Us”.  Sue McCormick is one of the most professional public sector top level managers I have ever met. Once again I am impressed with the technical expertise and depth and breadth of knowledge that we have on staff.  Earl Kenzie, P.E. our Waste Treatment Manager, and his right hand man, Mike Amicangelo, Senior Utility Engineer at the Treatment Center personify the theory that “good people make up for bad equipment every day”!  We are lucky to have them working for us as the equipment they are using was made in 1936 and not updated until 1974!  I don’t need to tell you what happens when what they work on stops working! 

Next stop on the campaign trail is the Wheeler Center with Karla Henderson.