Residents, businesses press McAlester council over recurring flooding, stormwater maintenance

Several McAlester residents and business owners urged the City Council on April 22 to address recurring flooding and apparent stormwater maintenance lapses that they said are damaging private property and nonprofit operations.

Mike Thomas, who identified himself as the owner of Little Dixie Raceway, said the city’s drainage changes have concentrated water onto his land. "All the water that comes into your town comes on to me, and then it goes on to the softball field," Thomas said, adding that changes to development and cleaned channels now send runoff to his property faster than in the past.

Joey Clark, a local business owner at 1712 Dave Drive, told the council his building has flooded four times in the past five years. "Our building has flooded 4 times in the past 5 years from front to back," Clark said, and he said businesses spent more than $100,000 to install a parking lot and engineered flow to the canal but still experience repeat inundation.

Other speakers — including Kyle Spruce, Robert Ramer, Rachel Kronwald and insurance agent Clint Santine — described similar damage to property and operations. Spruce said repeated inaction had lengthened the problem: "We have been trying to do this for years, to get this fixed," he said. Ramer described recent storms that sent debris and silt into parking areas and upstream culverts. Kronwald and Santine urged the council to prioritize repairs because local nonprofits lose days of service when they must close for cleanup; Santine said insurance provides little relief for that lost service.

Speakers asked the city to enforce floodplain and stormwater rules, investigate whether recent developments and cleaned channels have increased downstream flows, and consider retention measures in the canal that runs west of downtown. Thomas pointed to federal flood mapping changes from February 2010 and to Army Corps of Engineers oversight of “blue line” waterways. He described the canal as "12 foot tall" in places and said retention blocks could slow flows.

Councilors declined to debate details from the dais during public comment. The mayor advised that, based on staff guidance, the council should not continue the discussion outside of a public record or should handle it in executive session; when asked whether councilors could question witnesses, staff recommended against additional questioning at that time.

What happened next: the council took no immediate corrective vote during the public-comment segment. Staff and council members acknowledged the issue will need follow-up through stormwater staff and the city’s ongoing maintenance scheduling.

Why it matters: speakers said repeated flooding is damaging small businesses and nonprofits, risks donor funds and volunteer time, and may reflect cumulative effects of development and channel maintenance decisions. Multiple speakers urged faster, visible action to protect property and service providers.

What residents asked for: enforce floodplain permit requirements, review past and recent permitting for developments that discharge to the canal, inspect retention basins and detention ponds, and prioritize clearing debris in culverts and canal inlets. Several speakers asked for a site visit and a concrete timeline for repairs.

Outlook: Council members did not adopt an immediate remedy at the meeting. Staff indicated the issue is on the city’s stormwater radar; several public speakers said they will continue to press for action at future meetings.