Wilson Avenue residents press council for flood-buyout action; planner says grant-funded project manager coming

Good evening. Resident Hannah Brick told the University City Council on June 23 that residents of Wilson Avenue remain vulnerable to flooding and have lacked home internet service for more than a month after tornado-related damage, and she urged the city to expedite a federal buyout process.

The matter drew extended comment from council members and an update from Dr. John Wagner, University City’s planning and zoning director, who said the city expects to issue a request for qualifications for a grant-funded project manager and may present a consultant contract to council at the next meeting.

Why it matters: Wilson Avenue includes homes previously affected by buyouts after a prior flood; residents say delayed buyouts and service disruptions increase safety risks during storms. Council members expressed urgency about moving the buyout process forward and asked staff for concrete steps and timelines.

Hannah Brick, who lives at 1079 Wilson Avenue, said her household has lacked internet for more than a month and that cell service in her brick house is weak. “We have been without Internet in our home for over a month,” she told the council, and said delays hamper residents’ ability to monitor river gauges and receive timely flood messages. She asked the council to “dedicate all necessary time, resources, and support to assist Dr. Wagner and the others working on this buyout, including expediting the hiring and onboarding process for this designated employee.”

Dr. John Wagner, planning and zoning director, said the city held a meeting that afternoon and identified a potential project manager who has experience with buyout processes. “This project manager will essentially drive the project going forward, using grant funds,” Wagner said, and he added the city will use grant dollars so the position “doesn't cost the city anything.” Wagner said the project manager role typically can be paid from grant administration funds (he said about 5% of grant funds can be allotted to project management), but he confirmed the city had not yet received federal or state buyout disbursements.

Wagner described next steps: staff will finalize procurement paperwork and release an RFQ for the project manager, likely by the end of the week or early next week. If selection proceeds on that timeline, Wagner said the city could have a contract to present at the July 14 council meeting. Councilmember McMahon and others suggested the council could consider a special meeting or a remote (Zoom) session to approve a consultant quickly if needed.

City Manager Rose and other staff said the city has been preparing background paperwork, affidavits of pre-flood condition, and procurement documents so the buyout work can proceed as soon as grant funds become available. Wagner said CEMA (the state emergency management agency) has authorized moving forward with the process, and FEMA reimbursement of eligible costs was part of the previously signed buyout agreement.

Council members repeatedly framed the issue as urgent. Councilmember Fuller said he was “very, very sympathetic to all the residents,” and several council members asked staff to press for practical steps — including confirming where federal funds currently reside and accelerating the RFQ and onboarding steps so the project manager can begin coordinating homeowner assessments and the demolition/clearance phase that follows buyout agreements.

Clarifying details captured in the meeting: a USGS river gauge reading was cited for a near-flood incident (11.52 inches on June 4 at 4:45 p.m.); Wagner said grant programs cited during public comment include BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP); Wagner said the project manager role can be funded from grant administration allocations (roughly 5% of grant funds) but that the city has not yet received federal or state buyout disbursements; Wagner said CEMA previously signed off on the buyout policy and has authorized key next steps. No city appropriation or formal council vote on the buyout was taken during the June 23 meeting.

What council asked for next: staff said they would identify the internet provider for Brick’s block and attempt to coordinate restoration; planning and procurement staff will issue the RFQ for a project manager immediately; Wagner said staff aim to return to council with a consultant contract for approval at the next regular meeting, or sooner via a special/remote meeting if needed.

The council did not adopt new policy or appropriate funds at the meeting. The discussion closed with council and staff agreeing to prioritize getting a project manager under contract and to provide a public update once the consultant selection and contract are ready.