Council members in Waco are quite pleased with the city's response to the sleet and snow that hit Central Texas on New Year's Eve.
Public Works Director Chuck Dowdell talked about that response at the city council's work session Tuesday.
He said public works crews used 150 tons of sand on the streets, the police department dealt with 297 calls and 39 accidents, and the fire department responded to 169 calls, including four fires and eight accidents.
All that, Dowdell said, helped them keep the roads open and everyone safe.
Council members, like John Kinnaird and Dillon Meek, were impressed.
"Putting the resources to work ahead of time to make sure we're ready, capable of responding and addressing the needs of our citizens the best we can, I appreciate y'all's effort on that," Kinnaird said.
"Classic example of it being a thankless job, what you're doing really matters. It saves lives and people don't realize it until they're in a bad place and so I'm thankful, and the community is thankful for the efforts that you go to," Meek said.
Utility Director, Lisa Tyer, said crews did have to repair 53 water main breaks. That's compared to six the last time. She attributed that to the colder weather and aging cast iron pipes.
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