WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

The Highland Heights Council Chamber---normally quiet and serene in the minutes before the start of Committee of the Whole (COW) meetings—was buzzing with energy on July 7th.

Waterlogged residents came out in force.
They were responding to Discussion Item # 1 on the Agenda:
Area Flooding

I hoped the attendees wouldn’t be taken by surprise by the Council rule:
Residents can listen, but they aren’t allowed to speak at COW meetings.
Just to make sure, Council President Cathy Murphy began the session by declaring:

This is a work session of the Council, therefore we don’t have the opportunity for public comment.
That is reserved for our regular meeting…
Still we welcome you. We are glad you are here.

Residents returned a week later for the regular Council meeting...where they would be allowed to speak.

THE THEME OF THE EVENING: “STAY TUNED”

The message residents received from Council President Murphy at the July 14th Council meeting---for every topic brought to Council's attention---was:

"Stay Tuned"

A resident concerned about the city’s growing deer population was told to “stay tuned” while the city continued to gather information and search for effective options.

A Ford Road resident---whose plans to invest in major improvements in her home were sidelined by 2 incidents of serious basement flooding in the last year---was told to “stay tuned” while city leaders digested a flooding report authored by engineer Brian Mader, due to be filed the next day.

A Jefferson Road resident---who reported that even neighbors with back-flow valves, designed to prevent sewer backups during heavy rain, had water coming in through their basement walls---was told to “stay tuned” to further developments.

Needless to say, the frustration level was quite high.

After all, the recent flooding event wasn’t the first one ever.
It was the second one in less than a year.

WHEN WILL RESIDENTS SEE
ENGINEER MADER'S FLOOD REPORT?

I got the impression during the Council meeting that Mader's July 15th flooding report--a public document--- might be held back until after Council discusses it at this Tuesday's COW meeting.
I sure hope not.
There's no good reason to make residents wait that long.
They are entitled to read Mader's analysis ASAP.

I approached 3 Council members after the meeting, suggesting that the city post Mader’s flooding report on the city’s website.

They all said they thought that was a good idea.

I just checked the city’s website.
Mader’s report has yet to be posted online.

SO WHAT’S GOING ON WITH ALL THE FLOODING?

At the July 7^th COW meeting, Service Director Thom Evans reported:

"The rain event itself (3 weeks ago) involved 2.19” of rain. What is significant is that at the Service Department, we recorded .9 inches of rain in 45 minutes…

The National Weather Service reported that June was the wettest month on record….

Our creeks and streams and basins were already retaining water…

The Highland Road retention basin to the west of city hall overflowed.  That’s the 2^nd time within a 1 year period that has occurred.

The Hawthorne (Drive) basin overflowed.

The Glen Eden basin may have overflowed…"

Engineer Brian Mader explained that in some neighborhoods, road flooding was part of the flood system design:

Road flooding isn’t always a bad thing.
The (water retention) basins are designed to allow a set amount of water to flow thru, with a certain amount of spread (within the basin).  
If there is a super rain (and the basins overflow) there will be standing water on the street for a certain amount of time.

While Service Director Evans seemed focus on water infiltration from storm sewer lines into septic sewer lines as being the source of most of the city’s flooding problem, others---including Councilman Bob Mastrangelo and Mader---disagreed.

And with good reason.
Ford Road---a hard hit street---doesn’t even have storm sewers. 
Clearly infiltration from storm sewers into sanitary sewers isn’t the issue there.

And infiltration didn't explain the flooding on Wilson Mills Road, near St. Paschal Baylon Church.
Mader explained:

A culvert that runs under the road sealed shut because of twigs and garbage that washed down the channel. Once the debris let loose it (the flood water on the road) all went away….

Part of one of the (flood) issues is channel cleaning. Absolutely.

Mastrangelo pointed out that water infiltration from storm sewers wasn’t the issue on Davidson Drive either because the storm and septic sewer lines are far apart. They don’t sit on top of each other there.

I think there’s blockages (in the storm sewer lines)….
(The flooding) is because the storm sewers are backing up. Water off the roof has nowhere to go, so it’s coming up through the drain tile.

Mader outlined what's involved in trying to come up with a flooding solution:

There is a significant difference between water coming in overland, water leaking in and around basement foundations and water backing up thru the sewer drain.
They are all different problems.

Not understanding what each house is experiencing can lead to improving things that don’t need to be improved….

It’s important, when looking for a solution, to understand what the problem is that we are starting with...

When I see list of 10 house with basement flooding I assume its coming through the floor drain. If it’s coming through the wall, those are important things to know so we know what we are looking for, to know how to improve the situation…

There is a totally different way of looking at it if a whole bunch of people have (flooding) than just one.

Mader's comments highlighted a real problem when trying to come up with solutions:
The city’s lack of detailed information about the recent flooding.
He had incomplete information about the total number of residents who experienced flooding, how bad it was, what type of flooding it was, and where they lived.

Mastrangelo—who tends to offer practical advice--suggested that next time a significant rain event is anticipated, the  city use its reverse 911 calling system to communicate with residents, encouraging them to report any flooding problems and telling them who to contact to do that.

THE CITY’S PLEDGE:
SOMETHING WILL BE DONE THIS YEAR

It is clear that, after two bouts of severe flooding since last August, the issue is still very much on the radar.
In fact, many Council members took to city streets and talked to residents about the recent flooding, even as it was occurring.

Council President Murphy told residents at the July 14^th Council meeting:

"We want you to know that we’re very concerned about this.
So stay tuned."

Mayor Scott Coleman pledged that the city would take action---of some kind---the year:

"I agree (with Council) that we would allocate resources to fix the problem, but we don’t know where to do that (yet)…
(Engineer) Brian Mader is putting together a report for us.

I am convinced there are things we can do this year, as opposed to big long term solutions."

 Residents surely hope so.

CRIME REPORT: SHELL GAS STATION ROBBED

I was driving past the Shell gas station at the corner of Bishop and Wilson Mills road early last Monday morning.

To my surprise, this is what I saw:

What I didn’t see---because it had already been removed---was a car that had crashed into the front doors of the Shell mini-mart building.
A store employee confirmed to a source that a robbery had indeed taken place.

The car----presumably stolen and later abandoned---was used as a battering ram to access the building.

We are blessed to live in a safe city with an active and vigilant police force.
Still, as Police Chief Jim Cook tells residents (every chance he gets):

It's always a good idea to keep your doors locked and your garage door down.