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A Resolution honoring the contributions of Tom Palko of the Department of Water and Sewerage Services upon his retirement.
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WHEREAS, Tom Palko was hired as the third stormwater employee of the Metropolitan Department of Public Works in March 1985. He was an Engineer-in-Training, fresh with a degree from University of Tennessee, working in a meat department cutting chickens. Within five years, the other two Stormwater employees had left, and Mr. Palko became the head stormwater employee; and
WHEREAS, since the first FEMA flood maps were developed in 1982, Mr. Palko missed only three years of flood mapping and has been involved in all nine subsequent revisions; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko started the Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program in 1996, when Nashville was issued the first Phase 1 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko established Nashville’s successful Floodplain Home Buyout Program, purchasing and removing 485 homes in the floodplain and restoring nearly 250 acres of Nashville’s natural floodplain, turning much of that into public park land; and
WHEREAS, the Stormwater Division (“Stormwater”) moved to Metro Water Services (“MWS”) in 2002. Mr. Palko was named Assistant Director, adding the Maintenance Division to perform daily routine Stormwater maintenance activities such as cleaning inlets. The Stormwater Division has grown to a total of 136 employees; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko led efforts to create and continuously update the Stormwater Management Manual to regulate impacts of development on stormwater runoff, which includes one of the most stringent floodplain development restrictions within the nation; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko launched Stormwater funding with a user fee in 2009, which now brings in $35 million annually for maintaining and improving stormwater infrastructure including hundreds of Stormwater Capital Improvement Projects to minimize flash flooding impacts to residents of Nashville and Davidson County; and
WHEREAS, in response to the 2010 flood, Mr. Palko ensured that the department had full staff in the office every day in May to review and issue permits and develop buyout projects; and
WHEREAS, to ensure the Stormwater system keeps up with the on-going growth around the county, Mr. Palko launched a new master planning effort in 2023, which will provide guidelines and prioritization for expanding the Stormwater system; and
WHEREAS, during Mr. Palko’s forty plus years of leadership, Nashville’s Stormwater program has successfully navigated through several compliance audits from the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation without any major findings of non-compliance; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko’s many achievements include receiving the John Ivey Award, which recognizes superior efforts in certification of floodplain managers, serving on ASFPM’s Certified Floodplain Managers (CFM) - Exam Working Group, being responsible nationwide for CFM certification, and overseeing the certification of as many as ten certified floodplain managers at MWS; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko served as Floodplain Basics Instructor for the Tennessee Association of Floodplain Management and helped charter and continues to serve the state chapter of Silver Jackets, which develop comprehensive and sustainable solutions to natural disasters; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Palko is driven to create successful programs and impactful regulations, several of which, such as the home buy-out program, 4 feet above base flood elevation requirement, and May 2010 flood response were the envy of other municipalities at floodplain manager events; and
WHEREAS, co-workers at MWS refer to Mr. Palko as “herculean-ly” competent and steady and his hard work and always cheerful demeanor will be missed upon his retirement, leaving very large shoes to fill.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record recognizing the accomplishments of Tom Palko on the occasion of his retirement and thanking him for his many years of service and leadership improving Nashville’s environment.
Section 2. This resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson requiring it.