Poland residents ask for help with flooding

By Ashley Luthern

aluthern@vindy.com

poland

Village residents asked council members for help with flooding at Tuesday’s meeting.

“The entire street floods all the way down when it rains,” said Gregg Strollo of Windemere Place.

Strollo was joined by other residents of Windemere, Edna Street and Evergreen Drive who described water and sewage in basements after any sustained rainfall.

“We’re going to do something, I promise you,” said Council President Joe Mazur.

Village Street Commissioner and Police Chief Russ Beatty told residents he would be out to check the properties later this week.

Dan Schultz of 33 Ohio Ave. has previously brought similar flooding concerns to council.

“I’ve complained, begged, pleaded, been to council meetings, and the overall response is that they understand there’s a problem, but they have no money to do anything about it,” he said.

Next year, a stormwater utility fee, which was passed by council in April, will collect money to be used in those projects, said Mayor Tim Sicafuse.

The ordinance authorized a $3.50 monthly fee, which officials estimate will bring in $70,000 annually.

“I imagine we’ll use it on big infrastructure projects first and then see about individual properties or neighborhoods,” Sicafuse said.

The village does not yet have a definitive method to prioritze projects, Sicafuse said, adding that it’s a “work in progress.”

Council also passed an emergency ordinance about the traffic light on U.S. Route 224 and Pennsylvania Avenue.

It stated that the village will maintain the light, secure the utilities and right of way for the area, and cooperate with the federal government, which is funding the $198,000 project.

The money for the light is provided by a grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.

Construction of the light is expected to begin next year, Sicafuse said.