Trustees deny Crane Meadows claim over flooding tied to retention pond

The Village of Weston board voted on Feb. 17 to disallow a property damage claim from Crane Meadows Golf Course for a July 8, 2024 flooding event, rejecting a request for village-funded compensation after insurance denied the claim.

Dan Wyler, identified in the meeting as the golf course representative, described repeated flooding on Hole 9 after a nearby retention pond overflowed, saying pumping and extra staffing costs and lost green fees led to a financial hit last summer. He told trustees the submitted claim totaled $24,413, broken down by staff and finance as $18,560 in lost revenue and $5,853 in extra costs.

Wyler described extraordinary efforts to keep the course open: "We were spending an exorbitant amount of energy pumping off 9 just to pump it again, just to pump it again," he said, recounting rental of large pumps and lost employee bonuses. He also expressed concern that the newly placed retention pond across the street might be raising groundwater and causing recurring problems unless further engineering changes are made.

Public works staff briefed the board on the village response and on technical constraints: an altered south ditch line diminished backflow after staff dammed and pumped down the pond, and the department noted high groundwater and wetland protections limit some remediation options. Staff discussed potential future fixes (liners, control structures, sump systems) and regulatory limits from the DNR.

Trustees debated whether the loss was primarily a weather event or an actionable village-caused condition; after discussion the chair moved to disallow the claim and the motion passed 3–2. The board noted the owner may pursue litigation; staff said the claimant has six months to file suit under the applicable claims process. Trustees directed continued coordination with the golf course on mitigation to reduce future risk.