WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake residents expressed concerns with flooding in their basement and gravel washing into their yard during Tuesday's Winona Lake Town Council meeting.
Bambi and Rick Wright, 1705 Chestnut Ave., Winona Lake, said they have experienced flooding in their home's basement since January.The couple said they think the flooding is attributed to a drainage pipe that was installed when the Greenway Trial went in, and water is coming out of the pipe and flowing into their home.
"The water is like a trench coming into our home," Bambi said.
She said they contacted the town, and Public Works Director Pete O'Connell set up sandbags around their home.
"The sandbags have caused the flooding to stop, but we think an engineer might need to look at the storm drainage issue," Bambi said.
She said the couple has lived in the home for 10 years and not had problems with flooding until this winter.
The couple contacted Federal Emergency Management Agency and received a check for approximately $1,800.
Bambi said the couple plans on sending the check back because FEMA is requiring the couple to maintain flood insurance, and she said it is too costly to maintain the insurance.
Also during the meeting, Don Townsend, 1301 Wooster Road, expressed his concern with gravel washing into his yard.
He said when Wooster Road was widened last summer, gravel was put down on the road and topsoil and seed was never planted to the side of the road in his yard.
"A school bus or an SUV could get stuck in the drop off and roll over and it is a safety hazard," Townsend said.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach said the town will put topsoil on the area once the weather gets better.
Zack Jones, 1303 Wooster Road, said water is flooding the crawl space gap under his home. Allebach said the town will look into the issue.
Town Engineer Larry Long updated the council on projects he is working on.
He said he has completed storm drainage survey work on Wildaman Street in Southtown Addition.
He also said he is working on pump tests, calculating actual flow and looking at the pump capacity of the pump station on Wooster Road.
He said the pump station has had a backup of water from recent rains.
Councilman Jeff Carroll requested the town talk to the county about patching potholes east of CR 250 on Wooster Road.
The council reviewed the town's Public Works Department Annual Report and thanked Scott Stanley, Severn Trent Service employee, for writing the report.
The council also:
n Approved the Winona Lake Fire Department purchasing four sets of bunker gear for $1,500.
n Approved Severn Trent Services hiring an additional employee to assist in Greenway Trail duties.
Upcoming events in the town include a "Chocolate March" in the Village at Winona March 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; a town hall meeting open to the community to express concerns and ask council members questions will be April 15 at Grace Village; the Winona Lake Preservation Association meeting is April 22 at Ramada Inn; and Winona Lake Clean-Up Day is April 26.
