Posted: 7/2/03

Complaints follow high water in Columbus

Joe Drennan

Staff Writer

As rain kept some away, it brought others to the June 25, Columbus Town Board meeting.

Neighbors of the Mastell Brothers building project on Lake Drive were out in force, upset because their property was being flooded.

The neighbors were claiming their yards were flooded because of the Mastell project, not because of the almost six inch rain that had fallen.

The Mastells were told to construct a holding pond to hold their run off water. Neighbors say this new pond does not hold any run off water because it filled up with ground water.

Along with the pond, the construction has moved large piles of dirt around changing the highs and lows on the plot of land. This new landscape allows the water to run off the property quicker than before the project began.

With the faster runoff, the neighbors are being flooded.

ìIt shouldnít be our responsibility to remove their water,î Nancy Brown said. Brown lives next door to the project.

ìHad they had a concrete slab over there this winter, we would have been flooded out.î

ìI feel for Mr. and Mrs. Brown, their yard is gone,î Dan Schully said.

Schully, a hobby farmer lives on the other side of the Mastell project from the Brownís is also receiving runoff water from the project.

ìThere is a constant stream of water leaving the Mastell property,î Schully said.

When the group of neighbors asked the town board to do something about the problem, board Chair Melvin Mettler said, ìI understand (the problem) but itís not our call. We canít do anymore than we have done. We suspended the building permit from the Mastellís.î

Columbus Town Attorney Bill Griffith, Jr. explained that once a person requesting a building permit has received the approval from the DNR, Rice Creek Watershed District, and the Army Corps. of Engineers, the town has no choice but to grant the building permit.

As the neighbors continued to ask who was at fault, Griffith stated, ìthis town has done what is in its authority.î

Rice Creekís role

Before the group of neighbors left the meeting they were told that they should contact the Rice Creek Watershed District because it was their responsibility to fix the problem.

Dan Schully called the Watershed District early the next morning to voice his concerns.

The Watershed District decided to call a meeting in front of the Mastell project site that afternoon with all the neighbors, Rick Mastell, and the Watershed District.

Karl Hammers showed up representing the Watershed District. Hammers said, ìthey need to somehow resolve the drainage issue before they can fix the (water) storage issue.î

ìNone of this (construction) should have been done before the ditch situation was resolved,î Gerry Domino, neighboring property owner said.

The runoff water runs into a culvert that leads to a private ditch. This excess water is damaging the private ditch and flooding the surrounding land there as well. Because of the flooding, the owner has filed a law suit against Rick Mastell.

ìI understand (the concerns), but I canít believe I am being blamed for a six inch rain,î Mastell said.

After much talk about where the water was before construction began and how it got to where it is now, all parties agreed that a temporary solution should be thought up.

All parties involved also agreed to take an offer from the town board to act as a mediator between all involved so that they can come up with a reasonable short term and permanent solution.

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