Cloverdale resident concerned about flooding

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

CLOVERDALE -- A town resident went before the council with his concern over flooding in his backyard, even after a minimal rainfall.

Brandon Tancak purchased a house on South Lafayette Street near Roosevelt Street about a 18 months ago and has been experiencing trouble with severe flooding ever since.

"I don't want anyone getting hurt," he said about his two small children and the pond, which forms in his backyard from any accumulated rainfall.

Tancak, who has experience with municipal sewer plants, stated he felt crumbled clay tile from a 12-inch pipe running under SR 42 could be the source of the flooding along Roosevelt. He explained he and his neighbors have installed 15- to 24-inch storm sewer pipes, with the exception of one who installed a 12-inch pipe, leaving the older clay-tiled pipe under the roadway powerless to keep up.

He said he contacted former utility manager Don Guthrie a few times, but nothing was ever done and the water eventually drained from his yard. Tancak offered to make a televised video of the damaged pipe to help determine the exact culprit at no cost.

"If we determine the issue, will the town do something?" he asked.

Town attorney Allan Yackey said the town couldn't do anything about the situation because it doesn't have the money. He said the town has been trying to get a federal grant for the storm water problem, but it has "hit a wall."

The town initially applied for a $1-million storm water grant but was unsuccessful. It is now applying for a $630,000 grant with 20 percent from the town not required by the initial grant.

"Don't ask me to explain it," he said about the grant issue.

Yackey also suggested Tancak use some of his sources to help solve the flooding and storm drain issue.

"I try to solve things practically, as a town attorney," Yackey said.

Another resident approached the council regarding his water bill. Bob Fish, who resides in Stardust Hills, said his water bill has risen nearly 25 percent in the past few months.

"I'm not the only one," he said. "It's all along my street."

Council president Cathy Tipton asked interim utility manager Rich Saucerman to check into the situation Wednesday morning. She also told Fish the utility clerk Melissa Boldman would run a usage report and give him a call.

Interim clerk-treasurer Cathleen Monaco reported she has been busy sorting bills from May to the present, among other tasks in need of immediate attention.

Don Gedert with the Redevelopment Commission told the council progress has been made with the pipeline moving out of the area.

"They have been doing a good job," he said of Rockies Express Pipeline.

However Gedert said he couldn't vouch for a date as to when the company would be completely moved.

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  • Never fear Brandon, we are on the case!

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Wed, Jul 14, 2010, at 7:13 AM
  • "Don't ask me to explain it," he said about the grant issue. prolly cause he has no idea what it's all about.

    -- Posted by justmoveonwillya on Wed, Jul 14, 2010, at 12:45 PM
  • "Don't ask me to explain it,". Spoken like a true lawyer. The town can't be serious about paying employees that can't explain their jobs. I'm sure there are other lawyers in town that would love to take on the job and explain what is expected of them.

    -- Posted by purduegrad on Wed, Jul 14, 2010, at 2:38 PM
  • What does a tile under a state road have to do with the town? Maybe this person needs some direction on how to possibly solve his problem rather than an attorney that just likes to hear himself speak...........WHERE IS THE COUNCIL WITH ALL THEIR VAST KNOWLEDGE? DOES YACKEY RUN THE TOWN? Looks like the council spends their time trying to make people look bad and the attorney opens his mouth before he knows what he's talking about.

    Yackey, here's some free advise. When someone mentions town, people getting hurt, checking it out.........the first thing running through your mind should be (actually the council's minds, you should only speak when asked) IS THIS A POSSIBLE LIABILITY! Then have it checked out to see if that could be the case before you say you can't do anything about the situation. If you passed the bar it must have been by mistake, turn around and go back, maybe someone in there can give you some advise.

    -- Posted by sadNmad on Wed, Jul 14, 2010, at 4:10 PM
  • You know, you have to give Yackey some credit. The man has managed to single-handedly get Cloverdale to pay him for more than just his advisement to the Town Council; he also advises the Utility Board as well as the Planning Board. No wonder Cloverdale is running out of money, they give it all to Yackey. And yet, he does nothing that benefits the town. Guess he doesn't have to, the Council doesn't seem to mind handing the money over to him. It's too much to ask a man of his stature and elite status to actually take a moment and explain a simple grant to a citizen of Cloverdale or why they were denied the grant.

    Yackey will leave when there isn't any more money for him to take. Perhaps that's why another town has hired him on as their attorney as well; they're his backup plan. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel after all for the people of Cloverdale? Oh Yackey, you definitely have outsmarted the Council again! Who knew!

    -- Posted by YouCantBSerious on Thu, Jul 15, 2010, at 8:21 PM
  • I had a short conversation with Mr. Yackey in Avon one time where he somehow got the impression I was not very knowlegeable about a subject and he decided he was going to dazzle me by giving me a short education, this was unsolicited mind you. Now maybe I was wrong for not correcting his misconception but by the end of the first couple of sentences I was sure he didn't have a clue about the subject, but he talked on with confidence and fact. Now, maybe I was wrong for leading him on with a few you don't says and an interested look like I was impressed, but I was amazed at the amount of dung he could produce in such a short period of time, and his ability to actually appear to know what he was talking about became amusing to me, sad part is had I not known anything, I would have actually been impressed with his confidence and knowledge, but NOT. So you are right YouCantBSerious and I am wrong, I do need to give him credit. I'm sorry Mr. Yackey, I acknowledge your ability.

    -- Posted by sadNmad on Fri, Jul 16, 2010, at 2:39 AM
  • Oh sadNmad, don't take me so seriously. You actually have intellect. The Town Council and many residents of Cloverdale do not. Hence why Yackey is the highest paid employee of Cloverdale. He does what many members of the Board believe their town employess do, absolutely nothing. That's why he fits in so well, he can bedazzle them with his "lawyer wit and charm." He's just a fancy "thief", takes his money the legal way---the Board is just too far up their own behinds to realize they're being taken to the cleaners.

    -- Posted by YouCantBSerious on Fri, Jul 16, 2010, at 9:27 AM
  • YouCantBSerious - Don't worry, I was just adding a little sarcasm at the end. I didn't state what abilities I thought he had but I think you have an idea.

    -- Posted by sadNmad on Fri, Jul 16, 2010, at 1:22 PM
  • Sounds like it is time for Yackey to stop 'yacking' and start packing, ha, ha, ho, ho,

    he, he!

    -- Posted by mothersue on Sat, Jul 17, 2010, at 8:47 PM
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