Clark County Commissioners move to fix drainage woes

Clark County

Discussion

May 15, 2008

By MELISSA MOODY The News and Tribune Thu May 15, 2008, 11:19 AM EDT

Two of the three Clark County Commissioners — Ed Meyer and Ralph Guthrie — hope to have found a fix to the drainage problems at Sunset Hills, or at least one of the problems.

County Surveyor Bob Isgrigg — after completing a written report of the drainage problems in the past week at the request of the commissioners — and Gary Speth, who owns the subdivision, said they would be able to fix the drainage problems at lots 151, 152 and 153 by creating a swale across the back of lot 152.

The swale would drain onto Sunnybrook Drive from behind the houses, over the curb line, and into the street and storm drains. A swale is a ditch that is used to divert water during rain.

“I’ve been told by many people that there is the problem at Mrs. Ross’ (lot 152) and some other little problems,” Isgrigg said. “We lose nothing by trying. If there are other issues — which I don’t think there would be — we lose nothing by fixing this problem.

“I don’t need the drainage board’s approval or direction to do this — I have already in my hands all the authority I need.”

Commissioner Mike Moore voted against going in that direction, because it does not address what he, the Clark County Drainage Board and the Drainage Board’s engineer, Brian Dixon, see as the whole problem with drainage in the subdivision.

“I don’t believe this addresses the problem,” Moore said. “The people out there would like their problems fixed. Obviously we (Isgrigg and himself) disagree on what it will take to fix it.

“(Isgrigg) designed the drainage plans out there. These people have been trying to get these problems fixed for several years — there’s no more reason for delays,” Moore said.

Under the motion made by Guthrie, Speth will meet with Isgrigg and Dixon and try to fix the swale to where, in their opinion, it fixes the problem at no cost to the county. If by the end of July that doesn’t work, the commissioners will seek quotes to do it as Dixon and Isgrigg see fit, Guthrie said.

Dixon also disagrees that the drainage problems in Sunset Hills lie solely in lots 151, 152 and 153. Another swale Speth had created to address drainage problems on another property was started in August 2007 and is still not complete, he said.

Guthrie suggested breaking the project down in two phases, the first of which is to address the problems on lots 151, 152 and 153, and for Speth to get together with Dixon on the project.

“If that’s not enough, we move forward to take bids to fix it as it should be,” Guthrie said. “We will assure those problems are taken care of. It may not be overnight, but those problems will be fixed.”