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Resident tells Bolivar council 'it's still flooding out' as city awaits engineering study
Summary
Resident William 'Rusty' McClellan told the Bolivar City Council his backyard repeatedly floods and has driven water into his home. The mayor said the city has hired A2H for an engineering study to determine responsibility and cost; the city emphasized it cannot use funds on private property without clear legal authority.
William “Rusty” McClellan told the Bolivar City Council during the public-comment period that a drainage ditch behind his home “is still flooding out” and that past rains have forced water into his house.
The mayor and other council members said the city has engaged A2H to perform an engineering study to determine whether the road culverts and under-road drainage are properly sized and whether the problem is the city’s responsibility. “Once that study comes back,” the mayor said, “they’re gonna be able to say this is our issue or it’s not our issue and this is what it’s gonna cost to fix and I’ll bring it to the council.” The mayor also committed to providing copies of the study to council and residents when available.
Council and residents described clogged pipes, overgrown vegetation and accumulated debris that can block flow. McClellan said three-foot pipes are not adequate and that trash and tree roots often stop the flow; he described out-of-pocket costs for repeated repairs to his air-conditioning unit and pipes. Council members acknowledged similar drainage problems exist in other parts of town and said the city had previously obtained grants for specific repairs but that broad stormwater grants are scarce.
Council members stressed limits on the use of city funds for private property work. The mayor told McClellan the city cannot use municipal dollars to fix issues on private property without creating liability and that disputes about water flow that cross private property lines are legal matters often requiring agreement among property owners. At the same time, the mayor said the engineering report will identify whether the city’s infrastructure is at fault and include a cost estimate.
Residents asked whether the city could help find grants if the study finds the problem is on private property; the mayor said the city applies for grants when available but cautioned that many grant programs do not cover recurring local drainage issues. The council did not vote on any repairs at the meeting; members said they would wait for the A2H report before deciding next steps.
