Oak Hill staff: Canal Avenue survey complete; design funded, construction funding uncertain

The city administrator reported that surveying for the Canal Avenue stormwater and flood mitigation corridor is complete and that Mead & Hunt is ready to proceed with design, engineering and permitting. The city received $186,888 from the state legislature for design and surveying work, the administrator said, and he invited the public and commissioners to participate in the upcoming budget workshops.

Project manager Chris Fagerstrom (Mead & Hunt) addressed follow‑up questions about field conditions and whether an existing pipe or inlet could explain recurring flooding near the Oak Hill Country Store. "We met with a surveyor out there last week and we looked at that exact same location, and we felt like it looked like there could be a pipe," Fagerstrom said, explaining the pipe—if present—may be small-diameter and partially buried, and that the surveyor will poke around to confirm. Fagerstrom and commissioners discussed options including a short pipe, an inlet that has since been buried, a pipe network with inlets, and cross-culverts to balance north-south flows.

The city administrator said the project has progressed to a design stage funded by the legislature and that staff has sought a further $1 million for construction; he said award of construction-phase funding is uncertain. Commissioners discussed right-of-way constraints, estimated costs and potential county maintenance if an existing county pipe is found. Staff said right-of-way limitations may require a pipe network and potentially costlier solutions; no final construction contract was approved at the meeting.

Next steps: the consultant will have the surveyor test the suspect location, staff will continue design and permitting with Mead & Hunt, and commissioners will consider budget implications at the June budget workshop scheduled for June 22.