Two sheriff's cars flooded this morning

Sunday, February 22, 2009 3:09 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Jessie Burchette

jburchette@salisburypost.com

The remnants of Fay claimed two Rowan County Sheriff’s patrol cars early Wednesday.

The patrol cars had to be towed out of rising water on Innes Street at Long Street.

Other than the damage to the patrol cars, the county buildings apparently escaped with only “standard leaks.”

County maintenance staff started battling leaks around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Ken Deal, county director of administration, said the leaks for the most part were in known locations. The basement part of the courthouse had so much water coming in at one point the two sump pumps couldn’t catch up.

But Deal said the leakage in the courthouse wasn’t as bad as in the past.

Deal said minor leaking occurred in the Sheriff’s Office area of the Justice Center. Caulking between the large exterior stone panels failed in some areas.

The county has already contacted a contractor to replace caulking in the building, which was built in early 1990s.

The Cooperative Extension Service building on Old Concord Road also had some minor leaks, as did the Rowan Sheriff’s Office in Landis.

Deal said the only significant damage was the patrol cars.

A large area of Sloan Park was covered in floodwaters from Sloan Creek early Wednesday.

Don Bringle, parks director, said waters from the swollen creek covered the playground and the amphitheater.

Rocky Cain, park manager, said it’s the most flooding he has seen at the park.

The water covered the amphitheater stage briefly.

It didn’t reach Sloan Mill, which is on a higher side of the creek.

Water began receding around 9:30 a.m.