Colorado Springs Council Approves $10 Million for Mitigation Work

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Colorado Springs City Council yesterday voted to spend $10 million from the city savings account to lessen the risk of catastrophic fire and flooding following last year’s Waldo Canyon fire. KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports.

Some of money is intended to thin trees on city owned land. But Chief of Staff Laura Neumann says floodwater is the main focus.

"8.8 million of the $10 million is related to flood mitigation, two projects specifically: Camp Creek, and north and south Douglas Creek."

Neumann says the money will rebuild channels to improve flow and containment. It’s part of $46 million the city plans to spend this year on stormwater projects.

In other action, the Council gave initial approval to spend $300,000 to replace old police motorcycles with new Harleys, and to spend $2.2 million on personnel, primarily to improve salaries for police and firefighters.