I’m almost irrationally furious about this.
Wednesday’s event by the Bayou City Initiative was billed “Flood Resiliency and the State of City Infrastructure.” So, it was no surprise to see featured speaker Carol Haddock, head of Houston Public Works, get asked what the city department in charge of drainage and roads has done to prepare itself for the next storm.
Haddock started by saying the department had provided swimming lessons to its staff.
“I’m proud of that,” she said later.
There was more to the answer Haddock provided, including information on ditch clearing and updates to major projects before three successive years of deadly flooding and some projects still to come. Those details just came after the bit about teaching dump truck drivers how to swim.
“Why in the world would that be the first thing out of her mouth?” mayoral candidate Bill King said. “At first I thought it was a joke, but then it was clear she was serious. It was so bizarre.”
King, who often takes to Twitter, did just that, twice, lambasting Haddock.
“You can’t make this stuff up,” he tweeted. “Would love to see who got the contact (sic) to conduct the swimming lessons.”
[…]
After the flooding related to Hurricane Harvey, public works staff were asked how the city’s response could be improved, something Haddock said typically is asked after any major event.
Because the department has big trucks, and big trucks can travel in water deeper than conventional cars and trucks, some public works workers are called into service as first responders — either driving police and fire workers into flooded areas or closing off roads.
Many told Haddock and other public works officials they could not swim, but they wanted to help out in floods.
Haddock hooked up interested employees with a Saturday swim lesson at a city pool, taught by parks department instructors and firefighters. The lesson included basic swimming skills, how to secure a rope and proper use of objects to help someone in high water.
The public works employees did it on their day off, Haddock noted.
Yes, Bill King, coddled rich guy who wants to be Mayor, talked shit on Twitter about city employees who asked for swimming lessons so they could do more to help with rescue operations during floods. Bill King, pampered swell who doesn’t want for anything, sneered at people whose first instinct in a disaster is to think of others. Bill King, living a life of leisure on the wealth of a golden retirement portfolio, looked down his nose at working folks who gave up their Saturday so they could be a bigger part of the solution during the next Harvey. As that embedded cartoon says, “Christ, what an asshole”.
Bill King is a moron dilettante with no political skills. He would be a disaster as mayor.
I agree with Ross.
Bill King, who denies he is a Republican, sounds like your typical, clueless, loud-mouth, rich, Republican guy on twitter. I wonder why that is?
Thanks, more detail please. How did he perform as mayor of Kemah?
I’d vote for Rodney Allen long before I voted for Bill.
Ass Clown’s been Mayor of City bankrolled by Tillman Fertita and massive tax breaks given to the citizens based on Wal Mart’s presence, etc. Not sure why Kemah even needs a Mayor to begin with.