Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 06-04-2018
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Presentation and possible action as recommended by City Council to acknowledge City of Broken Arrow's appreciation of Mr. Tommie Heltchel's assistance with the planning, design and construction of the Floating Wetlands
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Background:
The City of Broken Arrow and Broken Arrow Public Schools recently created a unique and unprecedented partnership to develop an outdoor environmental classroom and training center. The first true collaboration between City staff, school educators, students and local business partners was the planning, design and construction of a floating wetlands. The wetlands itself was successfully launched in the Tiger Creek Nature Park on May 23, 2018. However, many hours of planning and design occurred behind the scenes before the actual construction began. The actual construction was a team effort. It involved students, educators, and city staff members working together hand-in-hand solving problems as we progressed towards a common goal.
One chief contributor was Mr. Tommie Heltchel. Mr. Heltchel works for Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), Inc. ADS is a local pipe manufacturer and distributor that the City has frequently worked with on municipal projects. ADS was a significant partner in this project. The company donated the pipe and fittings that created the structure of the floating wetlands. Without its generosity, the project would have had financial challenges.
Mr. Heltchel actually joined the team and assisted in the planning and design process. He brought his expertise and knowledge that proved invaluable during the early processes. He joined the City staff in the classroom on occasions to help teach and explain the process. More importantly, he assisted in the early construction efforts and helped the team resolve problems as they arose. He engaged with the students and encouraged critical thinking and dialogue between all team members.
Today, the City wou...
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