Committee discusses school drainage issue

By Danica Baker
Herald Staff Writer

May 26, 2007 10:03 am

— CLINTON — The City Services Committee discussed the ongoing drainage issue caused by the construction of Eagle Heights Elementary School on Friday morning.
In attendance were Ward 4 Councilman Rodger Holm, At-large Councilman Ron Mallicoat and At-large Councilwoman Bette Oakley. Also participating were Clinton Fire Marshal Mike Brown, Water Quality Superintendent Gary Schellhorn, City Assessor John Moreland, City Engineer Steve Honse, Ward 2 Councilman Michael Kearney and Jay Brady of Stanley Consultants.
Holm introduced the issue to begin the committee meeting, noting that the major problem is that soil erosion is causing drainage into neighboring properties and the sewer system. He asked Honse what measures were being taken to correct the problem.
Honse said the Iowa Department of Natural Resources was at the school site on Monday OF last week. He said a DNR representative called him after each visit and said they were satisfied with the progress there, but Honse noted that there has been no significant rainfall in the past few weeks. He advised that the city is attempting to get the situation under control and hired McClure Engineering in April to conduct a study and come up with a Storm Water Pollution Plan. He said that report has been prepared and submitted to the contractor and adjacent property owners.
Honse said the contractor on the site, Cardinal Construction of Waterloo, has been cleaning out the existing soil detention basins in an effort to reduce the runoff. He added that grading of the topsoil has been completed and workers are beginning to put down hydroseed, or a turf mat. Honse advised that one major issue still in place is that the contractor continues to send heavy trucks through a residential area, though the contractor agreed not to do so. He said the school district sent the contractor a letter telling them to cease that activity. Holm pointed out that the heavy trucks traveling on residential streets makes the street deteriorate faster and the weight of the trucks could cause collapse or crumbling of sewer lines in the area. Honse said that he thinks the erosion and truck traffic issues are getting under control.
Holm addressed the issue of remediation to property owners adjacent to the school. Several residents have expressed dismay to the city regarding soil and water on their property caused by the construction. Honse said that the school district is responsible for remediation to the adjacent property owners and school officials have submitted a letter to those property owners saying when the construction project is complete, the district will take care of their issues.
Schellhorn said that a similar erosion control problem is happening with a city project, a ponding area in South Clinton. He said if the EPA was to inspect the property, and would ask the city why the problem hadn’t been taken care of. Holm asked if the city needed to hire private contractors to take care of the problems. Honse noted that the street for the school would soon be poured and his office does not have the manpower currently to inspect the job, but could pull someone off another project. He said City Administrator Gary Boden is working on the staff needed and noted his department is struggling to keep up with normal things, let alone additional issues.
Honse added that he recently found out that a contractor is working on two sites and his office has not seen information on the projects yet. He said some people begin grading work on a site and come in for a permit when they are half done. Honse noted that some assume that because they have put in for a permit, they will receive one. He said the city needs to get heavier on enforcement because many permits have not been “signed off on” and work is proceeding.
Brown said he thinks once the city has a building department, it will streamline the process for the city and citizens. He said the only enforcement now is to double the permit fee if work has begun already, which Brown called a “slap on the wrist.”
Kearney asked what would be done for the property owners sitting with yards full of mud until the construction is complete. He noted that the adjacent property owners have been dealing with the problem for two years. Oakley asked why the school district is not taking responsibility for the issue. Honse replied that the district is taking responsibility and reiterated that remediation would take place when the project is finished.