By Adam Swift
The city council wants to ensure the city has more of a say when it comes to closing the DCR-owned floodgate on Winthrop Parkway.
Councillors Joanne McKenna and Michelle Kelley introduced a motion at Monday night’s meeting requesting the mayor have the city solicitor draft special legislation requiring that the City enter into an agreement with the state and DCR providing for regulations concerning the closure of the floodgate on Winthrop Parkway.
The motion arises from the recent Nor’easter at the beginning of April where DCR did not close the floodgate, and a number of residents had flooding to their homes and damage to their property.
“We understand that the floodgate is not the property of the city of Revere, it is DCR’s property,” said Kelley.
However, Kelley said the city should have a say on whether or not the floodgate is closed because it directly impacts the residents of Revere.
“I believe there should be some type of at least joint decision-making process so that between the mayor and the ward councilor (McKenna) and the DCR, we can make a decision as to when the floodgate is closed,” said Kelley.
After the early April storm, when she said she warned the DCR about closing the gate, McKenna said she got a call from Mayor Patrick Keefe stating that the city would have more say in closing the floodgate.
Councillor-at-Large Robert Haas, III said he agreed with the motion and noted that years ago, it was a common procedure for the city to close the floodgate on Winthrop Parkway if it was warranted.
“When we have a chance to stop any damage to vehicles or houses or anything like that, that is something the city should take a hard look at and just make the call,” said Haas.
Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said he was disgusted with the DCR’s decision to close the floodgate during the April storm. He said that when Donny Goodwin was the public works director, Goodwin would often go down with a crew and close the gate and block off the street himself.
“I think we need to get on DCR and see what we can do to force the issue whenever it is necessary,” said Novoselsky.
McKenna said she would also like to ensure that the pumping stations on Bennington Street and Broadsound Avenue are turned on during heavy storms to help alleviate potential flooding in the area.
