Hey, good morning, Menasha.
This is Mayor Austin Hammond.
I just wanted to take a moment to
check in and see how folks are doing
and also offer some updates.
I wanna start by sharing that my
heart goes out to you and
just, I wanna acknowledge how
difficult the last day has been for
our community with the
significant weather, the tornado
that have caused significant damage
to private property, to homes,
public infrastructure.
Public spaces like our parks and
local businesses.
I just want you to know that my
heart goes out to you and I
see you and I hear you and I just
wanna know that I care and I care a
lot.
And just wanted to start by
acknowledging how difficult the
last day has been.
Shortly after the storm came through
yesterday, I and our
team coordinated the EOC
and started gathering together
to work towards
organizing and
coordinating with.
Other municipalities, the sheriff's
office, county executives
office, state
agencies, nonprofits,
businesses, anybody and
everybody to make sure that we are
providing for our residents and
working through this difficult
situation.
At 4 p.m.
Yesterday, I also declared a
local state of disaster
for the city of Monashah as
pursuant to the
city Monashach code, which allows
for it.
This is a very significant and
serious situation and
our staff has been working
tirelessly around the clock working
through this and we are working
very closely with
neighboring municipalities and other
agencies and
established checkpoints within the
city of Menasha to make sure folks
that are not from the city are
not coming in
and to keep our roads
safe so our utilities
can get worked on as
there are many power lines down and
that our public works can work
towards clearing the roads, but
ultimately to make sure first
responders are able to get through
safely to check in on residents.
So I know it's probably been
frustrating with the checkpoints at
different areas throughout the city,
but Folks, that's for your
safety, all of our safety to make
sure people that aren't supposed
to be in and
might be interested in coming in in
the midst of a significant
weather event like this don't.
Make sure first responders are able
to get through effectively as well
as first responders from neighboring
communities that are here
to help.
And that's another thing.
I just want to take a moment to
acknowledge that there's been a lot
of hardship and sacrifice.
That's already happened within
our community.
But I'm asking as a neighbor,
as mayor, that the community
comes together in partnership
and we look
out for one another and we looked
for opportunities to serve each
other.
And just that there's gonna be
difficulty and sacrifice that needs
to be had as the coming days and
weeks continue and
utilities works to get the power
back up and on.
Work through some logistics
with our municipal water
as we are relying on the City of
Neenah for our water
right now.
Public works continues
to work towards clearing our roads.
Other agencies are going to come in
to help through mutual
aid agreement and different things
like that.
Like I said, we've been working very
closely with the Village of Fox
Crossing, City of Neenau, Winnebago
County, County Executive's Office,
the Sheriff's Department.
In building very collaborative
partnerships, I want to
extend a huge thank you to
everybody that has opened their
doors graciously for
shelter or charging, even if just
temporarily during business hours.
It's made a world of difference.
So our main shelter is
at Christ the Rock Church.
Folks can pick up water at
Piggly Wiggly in the city of
Menasha. There's been remarkable
generosity with donating bottles of
water.
The Catholic Bible Church also
has a charging station and a cooling
station for people.
I just want to say that I've
been overwhelmed with the
generosity of our community and
folks coming together to ask how
they can help.
We are working with Partnership Fox
Cities who will have a link to
update and coordinate
how volunteer efforts can be made
and donations and different things
like that.
Folks, just for updates, please
continue to check official City of
Manassia Facebook pages,
the website, emergency
management to the county.
Just want to take this opportunity
just as a
reminder, this is my
personal Facebook.
I will absolutely keep updating it
and providing updates throughout
this, but this does not
constitute a official City of Monash
Outlet, my
personal page, but as mayor,
I will do my best to
keep you updated and share that
pertinent and important information
as I always do.
But Menasha, I know that things are
incredibly difficult right now,
and there's
so much loss in this moment,
but I just want you to know that I
care and I see
you and we're going to get through
this.
It's going to be a difficult coming
days and weeks,
but Minash is a strong and resilient
community and we will.
We will come out stronger in the
end, and I know that it's hard to
imagine that right now with all of
the hardship that's going on, but we
will get through this together.
Asking for your partnership, let's
look out for one another and our
neighbors, and
look for ways to help each other.
Please adhere to
guidelines that are being put in
place and rules.
I know there's been so much hardship
already, but I really need you.
We need each other,
whether it's a curfew getting
established or those checkpoints,
it's for everybody's safety and make
sure we're moving in a good and
positive direction.
And again, just wanna extend my
sincerest thanks to the city of
Menasha staff.
We have remarkable people that
work for this community and are
so blessed to have them.
Thank you to our first responders.
Thank you, to our local
municipalities.
Thank you. To the business community
and nonprofits and
other agencies that have been
Reaching out to help our local
electeds and the state
legislature and everywhere
else that have been checking in.
Thank you so much, Menasha.
We will get through this together.
Praying for you, thinking of you,
and I just want you
to be reminded
that your city staff is working
around the clock.
We're working in shifts to make sure
we are working through the
aftermath of the storm.
So we will get though this.