Saturday, January 31, 2009

City link below offers wide range of information to help cope with ice-storm problems

Fayetteville city Web site offers information on ice-storm related concerns, debris pickup, shelters, other services

Mayor Jordan urges residents to work together

Working Together;
Meeting the Challenges
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
January 30, 2009

My central message today is this: No one in Fayetteville should have to suffer unduly from the effects of this ice storm. It doesn't matter whether you're poor or unemployed, a renter or homeless, a student or a corporate executive- you should be able to stay safe and warm, and the City is doing and will continue to do everything in its power to help you.

I want to recognize the outstanding work of our city employees in all divisions and departments. It is an honor for me to work with such dedicated people who are committed to serving our citizens at all times and under such difficult conditions. I also appreciate the work of the Red Cross to establish an emergency shelter and the ongoing efforts of the private utility companies –SWEPCO and Ozarks Electric Cooperative – to restore electrical power to our homes and businesses.

Our citizens have responded with compassion and concern. Many have called my office to report conditions and alert us to the needs of their neighbors, and the number offering to volunteer to help has been heartwarming. I thank you for everything you do for our community.

I am grateful that President Barack Obama has issued an emergency disaster declaration allowing us to avail ourselves of federal resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and funding, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act. Governor Mike Beebe has declared a state of emergency allowing state agencies to more easily coordinate with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Mayor Lioneld Jordan's 2009 state-of-the-city address to the city council

http://www.accessfayetteville.org/government/mayor/documents/sotc/State_of_the_City_2009.pdf



Partners in Progress

Mayor Lioneld Jordan

State of the City
January 20, 2009

I am privileged to serve as Mayor of our wonderful city, and I am humbled by the
responsibility that the people have entrusted to me. I am honored to be your servant, and I
will work every day to make our community better for every citizen. That is my solemn
pledge to you.

Thanks to the vision of Mayor Dan Coody, the dedicated effort of our fine Aldermen, the
hard work of our outstanding city employees, and the contributions of many individual
residents who share our civic concerns, I am pleased to report to the City Council and to
my fellow citizens that the State of our City is sound.

We begin the year with a balanced city budget, solid progress on improving our
infrastructure, dedicated police officers and fire fighters who assure our safety, and a
commitment to institutional and individual partnerships to nurture and sustain the things
we love about this great community.

We also begin the year facing many new challenges and we must be prepared to face
those together with resolve. We are not immune from the problems of a faltering national
economy, and we must anticipate and be prepared for the consequences of any revenue
shortfall. We must be responsible stewards of our tax dollars, and we must maintain
essential city services for our citizens. Toward that end, I have already begun to identify
potential cost savings and have implemented a more effective management structure to
improve efficiency and control costs. Our staff already has offered many good solutions,
and we will institute an ongoing, frequent, consistent review of cost/benefit analysis of
operations and projects to assure the services and quality of life that our citizens expect
and deserve.

I believe in leadership by example, and I have proposed to cut the mayor’s salary and roll
it back to last year’s level. I have signed an affidavit that I will not avail myself of the
special lifetime retirement plan funded from general revenues. I have asked to return the
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$5,000 annual car allowance formerly paid to the mayor and instead, to use a vehicle
from the city fleet when necessary to travel on city business. We have already achieved
some savings in the salaries of top staff, and I will continue to look for savings in all
areas of city operations. My staff and I are partners in this effort.

Even in uncertain economic times, we must be bold in our efforts to develop and
implement a strategic economic development plan for our city. Not only can this lead to
increased revenues without a tax increase, but more importantly, it can help assure green
jobs, good jobs that pay a living wage, allowing individuals and working families to have
the basic necessities and a better life. We already know that we need greater efficiency in
the development approval process, a workforce trained for the jobs of the future, and
better methods to accurately measure the results of our efforts. We can draw on the
suggestions of recent studies and the work of my outstanding Transition Team to craft a
plan that is consistent with Governor Mike Beebe’s long-term strategic plan to help
achieve economic improvement for our state through collaboration and cooperation.

To that end, know that I am serious, and within six weeks I will host a Community
Summit on the Future of Fayetteville that will be open to every citizen and I will consider
all views in forging our own economic and community development strategy. We must
have the participation of the business community and advocates for working families,
students and retirees, public institutions and private citizens, as partners in our shared
progress. We will have, within 90 days, an economic and community development
strategy that considers support for existing small businesses as well as nurturing new
opportunities, and together we will work to make it a reality. A slow national economy is
no excuse for inaction but an opportunity for us to move quickly and prepare now for our
shared future.

My first and immediate goal will be to do everything possible to secure and support the
establishment of a Satellite Campus of the University of Arkansas Medical School and a
Regional Trauma Center in Fayetteville. In the longer view, we should also develop a
close relationship with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and seek a regional presence for that
institution. This commitment clearly illustrates the close connection between economic
development and our quality of life.

The University of Arkansas is a priceless resource, and it is one that helps define
Fayetteville. We must be active partners in progress with the University, drawing on the
vast local resources of knowledge and expertise as we grow together and achieve our
mutual goals. From the development of knowledge-based industry, to community design
plans, to solving social service needs, to collaborating on support for a vibrant arts
culture, the possibilities are limitless. I will actively reach out and pursue this partnership.

The economic, environmental, and cultural aspects of Fayetteville’s advancement are
deeply interconnected. For example, any consideration of transportation policy must
consider getting to work, moving goods, access to cultural resources, and environmental
impact, requiring an integrated and connected system of streets, mass transit, multi-use
trails, bike lanes, sidewalks, and parking, along with a revised transportation impact fee
3
to help growth pay for itself. We will pursue the development of each of these elements,
and we will urge the Regional Mobility Authority to support a feasibility study and
planning for a future light rail system.

As we consider infrastructure development, we must seize the same opportunities. My
administration will go beyond the current recycling program to implementation of a
comprehensive waste minimization program for our entire community. We are pursuing
the idea of solar greenhouses to kill pathogens and reduce the volume of bio-solids now
going to landfills. We are investigating an effective Hillside Development Ordinance and
a storm water utility to better control the primary transmitter of pollutants into our water
supply, and we will implement and enforce a better plan for the protection of riparian
zones. We will be active partners with the “Green Infrastructure” project being developed
with the help of the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, Arkansas Forestry
Commission, the city’s Urban Forestry program, the Tree and Landscape Committee, and
citizen volunteers. Our ongoing city sustainability efforts can also be expanded and
shared to benefit the entire community, evidenced by our new initiative to provide and
exchange CFL light bulbs in the apartments at Hillcrest Towers. In each instance, we will
be partners in progress.

One major change that will be implemented is a reorganization of our Parks and
Recreation Department. While much attention in the past has been focused on sports
playing fields, we know that our outdoor public spaces can serve other essential
functions. I will propose a new division, to be implemented without additional costs, that
emphasizes our community heritage and citizen participation. Examples to be considered
will be increasing the number of way-finding signs and local historical markers, planting
of native trees and grasses in portions of the parks, establishing a community garden
program in appropriate neighborhood parks, opening a convenient dog park, and
partnering with the University, the County, the Fayetteville School District, the
Washington County Historical Society, and private citizens to identify, preserve, and
promote our historic buildings and other cultural resources. In conjunction with these
changes, I will appoint a volunteer citizen task force on Festivals and Community Events
to seek a closer partnership with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to identify needs
and opportunities, and we will promote the “creative economy” in Fayetteville by
developing a comprehensive Cultural Plan, in partnership with the Fayetteville Arts
Council, the University, local artists, entertainment businesses, and concerned local
citizens.

Finally, I want to reiterate and make clear my unwavering commitment to Open
Government. This administration is dedicated to access, transparency, inclusion, timely
responses, personal recognition, and exceptional customer service for our citizens, and
we will be held accountable to those we serve. From Town Hall Meetings to an improved
interactive city website to information on civic literacy to empowered Neighborhood
Associations, we are preparing to implement real changes to better provide information to
our citizens and, more importantly, to seek and consider ways for citizens to
communicate their ideas, arguments, suggestions, and problems to their city government.
My Transition Team has listened to your ideas and has made a series of steps we will be
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implementing to assure an effective community conversation. We must be partners in the
progress of our community, and every citizen must have a voice and be treated with the
respect and dignity that they deserve. You have heard my ideas, I now ask our City
Council to help me work toward these goals and I look forward to hearing their input and
the input of citizens, especially how I can be a better mayor and do a better job for our
city.

Thank you for your patience in listening as I share my plans and thank you for the
opportunity to serve you and our city.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial supports city reorganization of chain of command

Let's get organized
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Northwest Edition
Posted on Thursday, January 8, 2009
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Editorial/248842/
ON HIS first day in office, Lioneld Jordan, the new mayor of Fayetteville, started making changes. He proposed adding a new position in city government-a chief of staff to oversee many of the departments that have been directly managed by the mayor in the past.

Under the proposed reorganization, the police and fire departments and the city library would still report directly to the mayor. All the other departments would report to him through the new chief of staff. It's called a chain of command, and it's been known to come in handy in large organizations on which the public depends.

The reorganization offers the potential for more effective management of the many city departments. Having a trusted lieutenant taking care of the problems that arise in much of the day-to-day operation of the city should give the new mayor more time to devote to the larger challenges. A big one right now: How get an economic development plan in place. Mayor Jordan's proposal for a chief of staff is just another indication that he's thinking in broad terms. As befits the leader of any organization. Even before he was sworn in, Lioneld Jordan was already showing leadership. For example, he named a transition team, which has been holding meetings aimed at developing a list of priorities for the new administration.

The transition team has been headed by Don Marr, the former alderman who might wind up filling the job of chief of staff. He'd be a natural candidate for it.

The new mayor is applying his systematic approach elsewhere, too. He's evaluating the city staff to decide if any changes need to be made. Gary Dumas, the director of operations for former mayor Dan Coody, has already been dismissed. And Mayor Jordan will have to choose a new police chief. The former chief, Greg Tabor, stepped down to the job of deputy chief in the final days of the Coody administration. Greg Tabor had an agreement with then-Mayor Coody to return to the ranks to protect his retirement if a new administration took office.

While he's getting things organized, Mayor Jordan will have another problem to confront. Just after being sworn in, he got the unpleasant job of announcing that a couple of pension funds are running short of money. The funds pay benefits to 115 fire and police retirees or their beneficiaries. The board members of the funds-including the mayor-soon will have to decide whether to find more revenue or cut benefits. Getting those funds straightened out will require even more of the careful analysis Lioneld Jordan has been demonstrating.

It's going to take a while for the new administration to come to grips with everything that's happening right now. Happily, it looks like the new administration is up to the job.

Copyright © 2001-2009 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact: webmaster@nwanews.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Jordan to freeze own salary; Dumas' position eliminated


Gary Dumas, Fayetteville director of operations under former mayor of Fayetteville, Arkansas, after December 30, 2008, city meeting. 

Dumas booted : Jordan fires Dumas, proposes freezing salaries
BY DUSTIN TRACY Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/72768

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan said Monday that he terminated Fayetteville's top paid employee, Gary Dumas, late Friday afternoon in a restructuring to make room for a new chief of staff position.
Dumas was the director of operations under former Mayor Dan Coody.
Jordan told reporters early Friday afternoon that he was undecided about Dumas' future with the city and he planned to review Dumas' job further.
For the rest of the story:
Jordan to freeze own salary; eliminates Dumas' position

"We restructured the organizational chart of the city, and we did away with that job," Jordan said.
Calls to Dumas for comment were not returned.
The chief of staff position was announced Friday. The individual hired will be in charge of managing all the departments currently managed directly by the mayor, except for the police and fire departments and the library. Jordan said he would take applications and resumes for the job until noon Friday.


"I want to be the first to set the example. I told the folks that were making $80,000 a year that we were possibly going to freeze their salaries," Jordan said. "I'm not going to ask anyone to freeze their salaries until I freeze my own."
He added that he doesn't plan to do the same to nonelected city employees who make $80,000 or more immediately but that he did plan to monitor the city's monthly tax intake and if times get tough, he will make the decision to freeze salaries.
"If they start to drop, I'm going to move, and I'm going to move quick," Jordan said.
The City Council will review Jordan's proposals at its meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in the Fayetteville City Hall.
Copyright © 2001-2009 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact: webmaster@nwanews.com

Monday, January 5, 2009

List of meetings of various city panels for 2009

Materials In-House Review Technical Plat Revision Subdivision Revision Agenda PlanningDeadline (Staff Only) Review Submittal (#1) Committee Submittal (#2) Session & Tour Commission
10:00 AM 9:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 3:30 PM 5:30 PMTHURSDAY MONDAY WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY MONDAY THURSDAY MONDAY
22('08) December 4 December 15 December 17 December 23* December 31* January 5 January 8 January 1223('08) December 18 December 29 December 30 January 7 January 15 January 20* January 22 January 26
1 December 31* January 12 January 14 January 21 January 29 February 02 February 05 February 09
2 January 15 January 26 January 28 February 04 February 12 February17* February 19 February 23
3 January 29 February 09 February 11 February 18 February 26 March 02 March 05 March 09
4 February 12 February 23 February 25 March 04 March 12 March 16 March 19 March 23
5 March 05 March 16 March 18 March 25 April 02 April 06 April 09 April 13
6 March 19 March 30 April 01 April 08 April 16 April 20 April 23 April 27
7 April 02 April 13 April 15 April 22 April 30 May 04 May 07 May 11
8 April 16 April 27 April 29 May 06 May 14 May 18 May 21 May 26*
9 April 30 May 11 May 13 May 20 May 28 June 01 June 04 June 08
10 May 14 May 26* May 27 June 03 June 11 June 15 June 18 June 22
11 June 04 June 15 June 17 June 24 July 02 July 06 July 09 July 13
12 June 18 June 29 July 01 July 08 July 16 July 20 July 23 July 27
13 July 02 July 13 July 15 July 22 July 30 August 03 August 06 August 10
14 July 16 July 27 July 29 August 05 August 13 August 17 August 20 August 24
15 August 06 August 17 August 19 August 26 September 03 September 8* September 10 September 14
16 August 20 August 31 September 02 September 09 September 17 September 21 September 24 September 28
17 September 03 September 14 September 16 September 23 October 01 October 05 October 08 October 12
18 September 17 September 28 September 30 October 07 October 15 October 19 October 22 October 26
19 October 01 October 12 October 14 October 21 October 29 November 02 November 05 November 09
20 October 15 October 26 October 28 November 04 November 12 November 16 November 19 November 23
21 November 05 November 16 November 18 November 25 December 03 December 07 December 10 December 14
22 December 03 December 14 December 16 December 23 December 31 January 04 January 07 January 11
23 December 17 December 28 December 30 January 06 January 14 January 19* January 21 January 25
* Indicates change in schedule due to holiday
This schedule applies to all project applications requiring Subdivision Committee or Planning Commission consideration.
An applicant or representative for each application must be present at the Technical Plat Review, Subdivision Committee,
and Planning Commission meeting on the date for which the item is scheduled, in order to be considered.
Planning Commission
2009 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
Updated 12/9/2008
Plats Booklets Plats Booklets Plats Booklets Plats Booklets
LSD LSD Site Plan; Grad; Tree Pres; Lndscp 28 28 (4 full-size, 24 half-size) 27 (4 full size, 23 half-size)
Material Sample Board 1 board (24x36") 1 board (24x36") 1 board (24x36")
Elevations (color, w/ materials noted) 3 (8.5x11") 1 board (24x36"); 6 (8.5 x 11") 1 board (24x36");12 (8.5 x 11")
PPL PPL plan; Grad; Tree Pres; Lndscp 28 28 (4 full-size, 24 half-size) 27 (4 full size, 23 half-size)
FPL/CCP FPL plan; Grad; Tree Mit; Lndscp 28 28 (4 full-size, 24 half-size) 27 (4 full size, 23 half-size)
LSP LSP plan (survey) 28 28 (4 full-size, 24 half-size) 27 (4 full size, 23 half-size)
PLA PLA plan (survey) 9
CUP Site plan, Floor plan, Elevations, Survey, etc. 2 12
PZD Plats Booklets Plats Booklets Plats Booklets Plats Booklets
Z/LU OnlyMaster Development Plan 10 6 3 3 15 (half-size) 15 15 (half-size) 15
Z/LU Dev. Master Development Plan 28 8 28 (4 full-size, 24 half-size) 11 27 (4 full size, 23 half-size) 15 15 (half-size) 15
SIP Site Improvement Plans (under 1 acre) 15
Key: LSD Large Scale Development Grad Grading PlanPPL Preliminary Plat Tree Pres Tree Preservation Plan
CCP Concurrent Plat Tree Mit Tree Mitigation PlanFPL Final Plat Lnscp Landscape Plan
LSP Lot Split PZD Planned Zoning DistrictPLA Property Line Adjustment Z/LU Only Zoning and Land Use Only
CUP Conditional Use Permit Z/LU Dev. Zoning, Land Use and Development
CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE PLANNING DIVISIONMATERIALS REQUIRED FOR SUBMITTAL
Type of Plats/PlansApplication
Notice: Plats must be collated, bound, and folded. All plats required to be full-size unless otherwise noted.
Number SubmittedNumber SubmittedNumber SubmittedNumber Submitted
Submittal Meeting
Technical Plat Review Subdivision Committee Planning Commission City Council
Materials Deadline Meeting Date
10:00 AM 3:45 PMPlanning Office Room 326, City Hall
December 15 January 5
January 12 February 02
February 09 March 02
March 16 April 06
April 13 May 04
May 11 June 01
June 15 July 06
July 13 August 03
August 17 September 14*
September 14 October 05
October 12 November 02
November 16 December 07
December 14 January 04
FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH (UNLESS NOTED DUE TO HOLIDAY*)
Board of Adjustment
2009 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
This schedule applies to the following types of applications: Variances, Zoning Appeals
City of Fayetteville
2009 City Council Schedule
Request Deadline Agenda Session Council Tour Council Meeting
December 19, 2008 December 30, 2008 January 5, 2009 January 6, 2009
January 2, 2009 January 13, 2009 Holiday* January 20, 2009
January 16, 2009 January 27, 2009 February 2, 2009 February 3, 2009
January 30, 2009 February 10, 2009 Holiday* February 17, 2009
February 13, 2009 February 24, 2009 March 2, 2009 March 3, 2009
February 27, 2009 March 10, 2009 March 16, 2009 March 17, 2009
March 20, 2009 March 31, 2009 April 6, 2009 April 7, 2009
April 3, 2009 April 14, 2009 April 20, 2009 April 21, 2009
April 17, 2009 April 28, 2009 May 4, 2009 May 5, 2009
May 1, 2009 May 12, 2009 May 18, 2009 May 19, 2009
May 15, 2009 May 26, 2009 June 1, 2009 June 2, 2009
May 29, 2009 June 9, 2009 June 15, 2009 June 16, 2009
June 19, 2009 June 30, 2009 July 6, 2009 July 7, 2009
July 2, 2009* July 14, 2009 July 20, 2009 July 21, 2009
July 17, 2009 July 28, 2009 August 3, 2009 August 4, 2009
July 31, 2009 August 11, 2009 August 17, 2009 August 18, 2009
August 14, 2009 August 25, 2009 August 31, 2009 September 1, 2009
August 28, 2009 September 8, 2009 September 14, 2009 September 15, 2009
September 18, 2009 September 29, 2009 October 5, 2009 October 6, 2009
October 2, 2009 October 13, 2009 October 19, 2009 October 20, 2009
October 16, 2009 October 27, 2009 November 2, 2009 November 3, 2009
October 30, 2009 November 10, 2009 November 16, 2009 November 17, 2009
November 13, 2009 November 24, 2009 November 30, 2009 December 1, 2009
November 25, 2009* December 8, 2009 December 14, 2009 December 15, 2009
December 18, 2009 December 29, 2009 January 4, 2010 January 5, 2010
City Clerk's Office Room 326 Mayor's Office Room 219
4:00 PM 4:30 PM 4:30 PM 6:00 PM
Staff Public Public Public
* Request deadline date rescheduled due to a Holiday

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Northwest Arkansas Times reports highlights of Lioneld Jordan's first day as mayor and retirement of vice president of Chamber of Commerce

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Virgil Neuroth, who is retiring from his post as vice-president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, and Gary Dumas, Fayetteville's highest-paid city employee, on December 30, 2008. Links to related stories below photo.

NWAT report on Lioneld Jordan's first day as mayor
NWAT report on retirement of Virgil Neuroth

Friday, January 2, 2009

Does this story say that Gary Dumas is no longer on the staff?

The Morning News
Local News for Northwest Arkansas

Jordan Administration To Add A 'Chief of Staff'
By Skip Descant
THE MORNING NEWS
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/01/02/news/010309fzmayor.txt
FAYETTEVILLE -- As one of his first moves as new Fayetteville mayor, Lioneld Jordan is calling for applications.
Jordan is adding a "chief of staff" position to the administration's upper cadre of directors. "This is someone who will work directly under me," said Jordan on Friday during his meeting with the mayoral transition team. Jordan will accept applications for the new chief of staff position until noon Friday.
A chief of staff is not the only change Jordan plans to make to city hall's organizational chart. Some areas will be clustered with others under similar umbrellas, according to a draft of the new organizational chart released Friday.
"It's really taking the old flow chart that we had and realigning it," said Don Marr, who is leading the Jordan Transition Team. For example, water and sewer departments, as well as solid waste and recycling will be grouped under a "utilities" heading. These departments along with planning and transportation will be led by a "Director of Management Performance and Accountability," a position similar to the operations manager position held by Gary Dumas.
The Director of Management Performance and Accountability will also help to coordinate city projects and evaluate their performance. It's all part of maintaining a close working-knowledge of each project's status, Jordan said.
"I want to keep a hand on these things (projects) and know where they're at," Jordan explained.
In the next couple weeks Jordan is expected to set the date of an "economic summit," which will explore the many issues of economic development. The new mayor has said he'd like a plan in place in the first three months in office. And already, the summit is taking on the broader theme of setting an overall vision for the city.
"This is about what kind of a community do we want to develop to leave for our children," said Michele Halsell, a member of the Jordan Transition Team.
"Is what we're really talking about is a 'future of Fayetteville summit?'" asked Rob Leflar, another member of the transition team.
A central tenet of the new Jordan administration ensuring all voices are heard at the table. His transition team has made public input an essential ingredient as it moves forward with drafting recommendations. But even if getting many voices in the chorus is deemed essential, the new administration wants a few expert singers as well.
"We want to make sure that the right players are there," said Marr, making reference to need for expert opinion at the economic development summit. "But at the same time, we want it to be an open process, where anyone can participate."
"And we want this to be something people want to participate in," added Halsell.
Jordan started his first day on the job Friday at the Washington County Courthouse where he and 26 other elected officials were sworn in by Washington County Circuit Court Judge Mark Lindsay before a standing room-only crowd.

Lioneld Jordan sworn in as mayor of Fayetteville, Arkansas

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Mayor Lioneld Jordan a few minutes after being sworn in by Judge Mark Lindsay on Friday, January 2, 2009, being congratulated by admirers and supporters in the Washington County Courthouse.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Why is muddy water flowing in a normally clear Ozark Mountain stream on a sunny New Year's Day?

Please click on images to ENLARGE view of muddy water flowing on New Year's Day into the Town Branch of the West Fork of the White River.

For more images and a bit of explanation of this situation, please click the following link Silt-laden water pumped to the Town Branch by contractors flows to Beaver Lake
For a closer view of the pipe spewing water from Hill Place work site, please click on image to ENLARGE. Use cursor to move about and see the contrast between the flow from the pipe and the stream's normal clear water at right.


For more images and a bit of explanation of this situation, please click the following link Silt-laden water pumped to the Town Branch by contractors flows to Beaver Lake