As the winds pummeled Iola Wednesday afternoon, city crews were out scouring the town for fallen limbs and debris and checking power lines.
Though it’s part and parcel of a municipal service, it’s not to be taken for granted. After all, most of us hunkered down once it became a challenge to stay upright.
Street and alley crews were likely back at it this morning once dawn revealed the total damage.
Come winter, they’ll rise in the pre-dawn hours to plow the streets of snow and ice to ensure our safe passage to school and work. And when the next storm or cold snap arrives, they’ll be out fixing burst water mains and downed power lines, all with a minimum of inconvenience to us citizens, no matter what the thermometer reads.
Our public works employees don’t make the headlines. Their work is neither glamorous nor widely recognized by the lion’s share of citizens who take paved streets, electricity, and fresh water from the tap for granted.
Thanks guys, we owe you one.
— Susan Lynn
