Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The water has subsided, the water treatment plant has new carpet, and everything appears to be back to normal 2 1/2 months after Oak Creek lost nearly 90 percent of its water.

The only thing left to do is review the town's response to December's water main break.

The Town Board is scheduled to hear from Routt County Director of Emergency Management Chuck Vale during its 7 p.m. meeting tonight.

"This is the last step for us in closing that particular disaster," Oak Creek mayor Kathy "Cargo" Rodeman said. "The after-action review will be a chance for us to see what went right and what we could have done better."

Rodeman said Vale and a group of residents met last week to analyze the town's and county's response to the Dec. 21 break that drained 180,000 gallons of water from the town's tank. Rodeman said she thinks the evaluation was very positive.

"We actually did really well," she said.

In other business, the Town Board is scheduled to:

Approve a $1,000 donation to South Routt's LIFT-UP chapter

Agree on an annexation settlement between the town of Oak Creek and future annexes. The policy would state that any cost incurred by an annexation is the responsibility of the annexure, not the town.

Discuss the Oak Creek Fire Department's lease with the town to use the old Oak Creek Town Hall on Main Street. Rodeman said Town Clerk Karen Halterman wants to see whether the lease is current.

Look at a resolution about eminent domain, which would prohibit the town from seizing private property from Oak Creek residents.

Appoint Town Clerk Karen Halterman as the town's permanent deputy clerk for the town's municipal court.