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Cortland residents press council on recurring Walnut Creek flooding and call for qualified service director
Summary
Residents at a Cortland City Council meeting said repeated storms and aging storm-sewer infrastructure have caused repeated basement flooding, urged the council to commission a flood-mitigation study and hire a qualified service director, and criticized temporary fixes and staffing gaps.
Cortland residents urged the City Council on May 22, 2025, to take concrete action on recurring flooding along Walnut Creek and nearby neighborhoods and to hire a qualified public service director after repeated basement flooding and infrastructure failures, speakers said during the meeting's public-comment period.
The issue surfaced in individual stories and technical concerns. Resident Mike Bethini said his home on Butternut Circle flooded in April and that he later sold the house for $25,000 less than his earlier asking price after the basement flooded. "My fully finished basement completely flooded, and I lost my sale," Bethini told the council. Several other residents described long-standing problems with collapsed or silted storm lines, broken manhole rings, and catch basins that clog and overflow during heavy rain.
The comments put the spotlight on two related concerns: immediate flood response and longer-term stormwater infrastructure. A council member and staff…
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