Scruggs: Cowboys and hippies

When I engaged the city of Aspen Utilities Department concerning the drainage problems on West Hopkins, the reply was “The drainage system was designed by cowboys and hippies.” We all know those two groups are not engineers.

In the last three years, there has been two major floods between First and Second son West Hopkins. Why? There are no drains on West Hopkins from Seventh to just before First. The city halfway addressed the problem with a double drain on the south side of the street while leaving only the one drain on the north side.

City of Aspen Utilities and City Council: Please address the problem.

Which is a segue contrasting the outstanding performance of Aspen Fire, Aspen Police, Aspen Streets, and private businesses and community members who reacted with all deliberate speed to confront and control the flood caused by a water main break on Jan. 30. They spent hours on the scene in teen temperatures wading through icy water trying to open the frozen inadequate drains to protect homes and citizens. They even damned my sidewalk entrance at the street to prevent flooding. They succeeded in their mission.

David Scruggs

Aspen