Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears extensive stormwater problems, seeks comprehensive county study and funding options
Summary
Councilors and staff described clogged drains, undersized tile, and sediment buildup across town and said the town’s stormwater fund is limited; staff recommended a county-partnered comprehensive survey to map flows and prioritize culverts and ditch work and noted a letter from Dan Carlisle concerning flooding and a possible fee increase.
Councilors and staff spent significant time detailing long-standing stormwater problems and potential remedies, from localized jetting and camera investigations to larger-scale culvert and ditch reconstruction.
Staff told the council that a surveyor from Commonwealth will be in Kirklin on July 16 to document known storm structures. Staff and councilors described multiple problem locations (including Monroe, Ohio and Elizaville Road), cited sediment buildup and undersized tiles that cannot handle recent heavy rains, and urged a methodical approach to mapping where water flows so the council can size replacement pipes appropriately.
“So that’s why we’re working in conjunction with the county so that we can get this comprehensive study done to find out where the shortfalls are, where the problems are, and then once we do all of that, find out where everything is flowing to… Then we can put a comprehensive plan together,” a staff member said, arguing a coordinated study would allow the town to identify where 12-inch, 18-inch or larger tile is needed rather than doing piecemeal work that may not solve systemic flow problems.
Staff repeatedly warned the stormwater fund has limited capacity and said small, local fixes (camera runs, jetting) help but that the town will need county coordination and grant funding for larger replacements. Councilors suggested targeted camera inspections and immediate digs in specific spots where residents report standing water, and staff recommended dual-wall plastic pipe in many locations for durability.
Council deferred formal decisions pending further engineering input and the upcoming Commonwealth survey; the chair also asked members to review a letter from resident Dan Carlisle about stormwater flooding and a potential fee increase, postponing detailed deliberation until a future meeting when members have had time to study the letter and engineer recommendations.
The meeting closed after the stormwater discussion; no vote on a fee increase or a defined multi-year capital plan was taken at this session.
