SHELBY – The past, present and future of flooding solutions in the city of Shelby were discussed at Shelby City Council on Monday evening.
For at least a decade, Shelby officials and citizens have looked for ways to mitigate the city’s flooding problem, as outlined by former Shelby mayor and current Richland County Commissioner Marilyn John. However, some feel the initial goals have become lost in the weeds.
“We don’t discredit the good intentions that came before,” said Shelby resident Patrick Bovia. “I think there were good intentions to get this fixed, but it has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare.”
Bovia and several other members of the public commented on Monday, as they have during consecutive meetings for nearly a year, to voice their opposition to flooding solutions proposed by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD). In particular, as evidenced by an aptly-named Facebook group, the residents oppose dry dams as part of a flooding solution.
The dry dams in question are officially called “regional detention basins,” with the purpose of intercepting flood waters and decreasing the flow of water downstream. These basins would require earthen embankments, which would require the acquisition of property and/or easements, according to the MWCD.
They’re also only one part of a feasible flooding solution, which would also require actions such as incorporating floodplain benching, replacing nine bridges and culverts, and removing log jams and other debris. The MWCD even recently suggested a scenario cutting out dry dams altogether.
The involvement of the MWCD dates back to 2011, when representatives from Shelby, Richland County and the Shelby Floodplain Management Commission asked the MWCD to reactive the Black Fork Subdistrict and to develop a multi-jurisdictional flood damage reduction plan.
However, the demand for the MWCD’s involvement goes back even further, to 2009 during Marilyn John’s mayoral campaign for the city of Shelby.
“There was a public outcry and demand to fix the flood problem,” John recalled. “Everywhere I went and every group to whom I spoke demanded something be done.”
John outlined work done from 2009 to 2014, when she left office as mayor, to create a plan to mitigate flooding in Shelby. She refuted recent public comments claiming plans have been discussed in private without public input, or claiming the MWCD was not needed for help.
“We feel like we’re in the dark while our fate is being decided,” said Shelby resident Andrea Pelfrey. “I agree that we all need to work together as a community to come to a solution for this, but I don’t believe that taking people’s homes or land is the answer.”
John cited a meeting with business leaders in Shelby City Hall in December 2009, where it was “demanded” the city of Shelby find solutions to fix the flooding problem.
“One business owner slammed out of the room saying, ‘Just fix the problem,’ and I can’t repeat what else he said,” John said.
John also cited an invitation sent on Dec. 1, 2010 to 39 township trustees representing 13 townships to attend a meeting with the MWCD. Only three trustees showed up to the meeting on Dec. 15, 2010.
Finally, John mentioned a meeting she had recently with a childhood neighbor where she asked what would happen if Shelby continued to flood even after the Black Fork was cleaned of debris – a solution heralded by many opposers to the dry dams. The man shrugged his shoulders.
John asked if Shelby has reached a point of being OK with the community flooding, and the man responded, “As harsh as it sounds, yes.”
“Whether you agree with the project or not, whether you agree with the dry dams or not, I hope we have not reached a point where flooding of businesses and residences is OK,” John said.
A summary of the first meeting of the Black Fork Advisory Committee held on April 6.
Councilman Nathan Martin noted the city of Shelby is still months away from an official decision on how to move forward with flooding solutions. The Black Fork Advisory Committee is planning a town hall in August, with the goal of making an official recommendation by September, after which Shelby City Council will have until the end of the year to make their official recommendation to the MWCD.
“I’m still unclear how that opinion factors into the overall decision,” Martin said. “I tend to believe people are putting a little more credence on our opinion and what we formulate here than is actually needed by the MWCD.”
Martin’s point, though, was that there is still plenty of time for the public to become informed on the matter and make their feelings known to local officials. There’s also time for more information to become available in order to have an informed dialogue between all parties.
“I hesitate to be involved in discussions around ‘facts’ when we really don’t have any, but we will,” Martin said. “And when we have those facts, then we can have meaningful conversations with purpose. Because at the end of the day everybody wants what’s best for this community, or else we wouldn’t be here.”
