Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater Culvert Repairs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbors urge Leavenworth to repair collapsing culverts on Walnut and Sixth Avenue
Summary
Residents from the Walnut and Sixth Avenue area told the Leavenworth City Commission that collapsing culverts and stormwater failures are damaging property and creating public-safety concerns, and asked the city to prioritize repairs.
Neighbors of Walnut and Sixth Avenue urged the Leavenworth City Commission on Aug. 25 to address failing creek-side culverts they say have caused sinkholes, basement flooding and property instability.
April Paxwold told commissioners she submitted a petition and a blue folder with photographs showing sinkholes and other damage along three blocks of creek. "We have had multiple issues this summer with the rains... The basement has flooded due to those rains," Paxwold said, and estimated needed repairs at her family home at 603 Sixth Avenue would cost "$15,000." She said neighbors have closed alleys and cited an increased property-crime risk because overgrown, closed passageways attract trespassers.
Jeff Rutledge, who said he lives at 717 Oak Street, told the commission he inspected the culvert and found it "completely blocked" near Sixth Avenue and Walnut and said he had not been contacted by city staff despite prior assurances. A staff member responded in the meeting that they would "get someone to contact you" and pledged to rectify the communication gap.
Paxwold described photos provided to the city clerk showing sinkholes and damage across the three-block area and said the creek has been carrying stormwater from roads and that increased runoff is accelerating the degradation of the waterway under private properties. She said some homeowners had already spent substantial sums to shore up foundations.
City staff did not present a formal timeline for repairs during public comment. The record shows staff asked to follow up with affected residents and that the commission was made aware of the neighborhood petition and photos placed with the city clerk.
The concerns raised in public comment echo commissioner remarks during the budget discussion about long-term stormwater infrastructure needs. Commissioners noted the city maintains roughly 15 miles of stormwater infrastructure but currently can address only a few hundred feet per year, creating a backlog that will require sustained funding and planning.
There was no formal vote tied to the public comments; staff committed to follow up with the residents who spoke and to evaluate repair needs through the appropriate public works processes.
