Center operations moved to RTC Employment Services
Russ Foust, Wes Easton and Tina Burrey stand Wednesday in the dispatch area of Transportation for Logan County, 615 W. Auburn Ave., that was damaged by flood waters July 13. Flooring has been removed, along with sections of dry wall, and dryers are in place all around the facility. Currently, center operations have been moved to the RTC Employment Services, 334 E. Columbus Ave., until repairs are completed. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR)
Transportation for Logan County supervisor Russ Foust received a phone call from one of his drivers the evening of July 13, and then a building alarm alert a few minutes later, and he knew something was awry, but he still couldn’t believe his eyes when he drove up to the TLC complex at 615 W. Auburn Ave. that night.
Heavy storms hit the area and caused waters from the banks of nearby Possum Run to overflow, and when Foust arrived, water was surrounding the facility.
The muddy and murky waters also made their way inside the building into the office and dispatch areas, conference room, vehicle wash bay and mechanic’s room, all of which sustained heavy damage with about 14 inches of standing water in the complex. Computers and servers were ruined as a result, along with carpeting, sections of drywall and office and operational equipment.
“It smelled like a fish tank in here,” Foust said Wednesday while walking through the facility that is in the midst of drying efforts with fans and dehumidifiers.
Flood waters that overflowed July 13 from Possum Run surrounded Transportation for Logan County, 615 W. Auburn Ave., and caused extensive damage inside the building. Though water has receded, clean-up efforts continue. (PHOTO | TRANSPORTATION FOR LOGAN COUNTY)
“I received a call that night from one of my drivers about the flooding when she pulled up to the building, and then I got an alarm alert regarding one of our garage doors. The force of the flood waters was so strong that it pushed up an automatic garage door.”
While cleanup and restoration experts from Servpro have worked alongside agency employees this week, TLC center operations have been moved for the time being to the RTC Employment Services office, 334 E. Columbus Ave.
Transportation for Logan County is a private, non-profit organization that is run by RTC Enterprises, along with several other local programs.
Fortunately, service to county residents was not interrupted by the building issues, the supervisor said. The one area that was missed by flood waters was TLC’s garage, where the organization stores its fleet of 14 vehicles, and it’s located at a higher elevation than the remainder of the complex.
For clients wanting to schedule a ride, they can still call the same TLC number — 593-0039.
“We’re just asking clients to be patient with us, as our phone system is not quite as robust as the one at our regular facility,” said Tina Burrey, RTC finance director. “We receive an average of 11 calls per hour, so just call back if you have any issues reaching us.”
Foust said most customer requests are handled remotely, but if clients need to meet with TLC officials regarding specific needs, they can stop by the RTC Employment Services office.
“We’re an on-demand service, where we come directly to people’s homes. So typically, we didn’t have too many clients coming out to the Auburn Avenue office, only about three to four people a month on average.”
Repairs at the Auburn Avenue location will likely take months for TLC, with costs estimated at more than $200,000 to deal with the damages in approximately 5,500 square feet of the complex, Burrey said. And since the building is not located in a flood plain, the organization did not have flood insurance on the property.
“We’re a non-profit organization, and are funded through Ohio Department of Transportation and local community matches, so we’ll just have to take it as it goes as far as the repairs,” the RTC financial director said. “We’ll be in contact with ODOT to see what we can do.”
Carpet and about two feet of drywall have been removed around the office area while the fans and dehumidifiers run for about six days to dry out the space. Then much additional work will be needed before the space can function as an office and dispatch center again.
Wes Easton, RTC board of directors finance chair, said throughout this whole ordeal, he’s been impressed with the way agency employees have pitched in to help and to make sure clients were still served.
“We have such a great team of people; they’re so good at what they do and they really have a passion for serving our clients. They care about their needs.
“They were working throughout the weekend to move into the new space and to make sure we were ready for this week.”
Foust related that TLC’s 17 drivers worked after the flood damage to manually write down each of their clients and routes, until a computer system could be set up this week at the RTC Employment Services office.
“They have committed their clients and clients’ needs to memory,” the supervisor said. “About 80 percent of our rides are for medical services, such as dialysis and medical appointments, so these are some important trips that we’re providing.”
TLC provides rides within the county and up to 100 miles from Logan County, averaging nearly 25,000 rides per year, officials said. General fare for traveling within Logan County is $4 per trip, or $2 per Logan County trip for seniors 65 and older and disabled individuals.
Same-day service is offered based on time and vehicle availability. Same day service is an additional charge of $1 to the fare rate.
RTC Enterprises took over the TLC operations in 2014 following the financial troubles with the former Tri-County Community Action that previously ran the transportation program.
For more information about fares and discounts available, visit www.tlcrtc.org or call the office.
Transportation for Logan County
• Center operations temporarily moved to RTC Employment Services, 334 E. Columbus Ave., as a result of flood damage.
• To schedule a ride, call 593-0039.
• General fare rate within Logan County: $4 per one-way trip.
• Reduced fares available through Ohio Elderly & Disabled Transit Fare Program for persons 65 years of age and older and disabled individuals.
CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO VIEW SLIDE SHOW
{gallery}stories/SLIDESHOWS/2017/TLCflooding{/gallery}