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Water, water everywhere: Local officials discuss levee, Grafius Run, other issues with lawmaker

A federal lawmaker recently convened with City of Williamsport administration and members of City Council and Lycoming County Commissioners to lend his support on a host of local projects.

Among those projects discussed were the levee, flood mitigation of Grafius Run, sewer and water, the Williamsport Regional Airport and public safety.

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, represents the new 9th Congressional District. He met at the invitation of Mayor Derek Slaughter at the mayor's conference room on the third floor of Trade and Transit I.

Meuser said he will open a district office Monday at 330 Pine St. at Executive Plaza on the fourth floor.

"We are here to work together on constituent services, be responsive and problem solvers," Meuser said.

"The city is the largest in our district, and we want to see it move forward," he said.

Meuser said he wanted to assist in helping the city grow residentially and commercially.

"It's got some blight," he said.

Blight and inferior buildings and properties are being addressed by a combined effort from Slaughter, council, the Redevelopment Authority, a new Land Bank and the Blighted Properties Review Board.

Extra money from the American Rescue Plan will be used toward purchase of properties so a legitimate developer can repurpose them and get them back on the tax rolls.

Meuser followed up his blight comment by saying the framework of the city was workable and ripe for improvement.

"It is in good shape with everything from a quality of life standpoint," he added.

He noted the district office at 330 Pine St. will be available and responsive to constituents.

Besides his legislative experience Meuser said he uses his 25 years in business when he represents the people of the 9th District.

Meuser acknowledged he is a conservative business leader. He has a heart toward issues such as public safety, a priority for city residents who when surveyed for the most prudent way to spend American Rescue Plan funds -- that were $25.4 million for Williamsport -- included priorities of public safety provided by police, firefighters and codes enforcement along with recreational opportunities.

In fact, Meuser is the son of a police officer and a mother who balanced family and work.

Among those in the meeting that was not open to the media was city Police Chief Justin Snyder and state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport.

The police are looking for grant opportunities, funding and accepting private donations for a new Special Response Team vehicle that is estimated at $350,000.

That is currently not armor-proof and shared with officers in other counties.

When asked what projects he would assist on he said the levee recertification, Grafius Run flood-mitigation, infrastructure such as water and sewer and gas, the Williamsport Regional Airport, and public safety issues.

The levee continues to remain a priority and repairs on it have received funding and funding continues to be sought.

This is a project that protects about $5 billion in land and property assets in Greater Williamsport. The levee system protects the city, South Williamsport, Old Lycoming Township and Loyalsock Township.

Nine pump stations and numerous engineering systems help to remove water from interior portions of the levee to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and its various tributaries.

Following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and its impact causing levee systems built by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fail and flood major portions of the Gulf Coast, a new standard was imposed on the levees and they required stricter standards under the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In order to meet these the levee must be improved otherwise those protected by it must pay untenable flood insurance.

Over the years, the deficiencies on the levee system were identified and continue to be with the Army Corps having to conduct a risk assessment.

The county and city have engaged a consultant Keller Partners and Co. which has been working to get the project before legislators for potential funding.

City and county officials have recently been told that there may be significant news about federal money to be earmarked toward the continuing improvements needed on the levee.

Efforts to find long term flood-mitigation solutions with engineering design such as water holding areas and channel alteration on Grafius Run are underway and fundable with the Rescue Plan funds.

Williamsport Municipal Water and Sanitary Authority as well as others are continuing to replaced old and failing infrastructure.

Meuser serves on the House Small Business and House Foreign Affairs Committees.

He currently serves as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access for the Small Business Committee.

Meuser is also a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, the Republican Study Committee, the Border Security Caucus, the Congressional Coal Caucus, and the U.S.-China Working Group.

In his professional career, after Cornell University Meuser joined a healthcare products manufacturer that he helped grow into the worldwide industry leader in power mobility products and served as president of Pride USA for seven years.

In 2011, former Gov. Tom Corbett nominated Meuser to serve as state Secretary of Revenue.

There, he worked to transform the Department of Revenue into a taxpayer advocacy organization.

In 2019, Meuser was sworn in as a member of the 116th Congress representing Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District. The redistricting map made Williamsport and parts of eastern Lycoming County his service area.

Meuser and his wife, Shelley, have two daughters and a son, and live in Luzerne County.