by Dennis Dalman
Two women who live in the area of First Avenue N. in Sartell told the city council that street and a nearby alley have deteriorated so badly that flooding from runoff water is a major, recurring problem.
The two women spoke separately during the Open Forum segment of the meeting during which people can comment for up to three minutes each.
At the podium, when the women said their last names, the names were not audible.
The first woman (first name Kathy), said she had voiced concerns for years to council members, but no corrective action has been taken. First Avenue N., she said, has not been resurfaced for years, if at all, but only patched. In that area, basements of homes have been flooded; there is water runoff from a dirt alley, which causes mud on her driveway, she told the council.
“We would appreciate a short-term plan and a long-term plan,” she said.
The next to speak (woman whose first name is Abby), said her family has lived for three years in that area. She said her basement has flooded twice and the septic system and floor drain cannot handle all the excess water. She also said when she shovels in winter, there are often big chunks of asphalt in the shovel with the snow – asphalt from road deterioration.
Mayor Ryan Fitzthum thanked the women for speaking and said he has received many emails about that deteriorating avenue. That road, he said, is scheduled to be redone in 2025. In the meantime, the city will be sure to see that short-term patching will be adequate to minimize or solve problems, Fitzthum told the women.