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Local News

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Mayor: It's time to focus on something besides flooding

LaRiche Toyota-Subaru
By J. GRABER

STAFF WRITER

Findlay residents are putting too much emphasis on the flooding issue these days, according to Mayor Pete Sehnert.

Findlay has recently been hit by a flooding spree that saw the Blanchard River spill over its banks seven times in a 14-month period. One of the worst floods in the city's history hit in August, and the fifth worst flood arrived in February.

However, Sehnert is hoping some drier weather will get people's minds off the flooding issue and give them something more positive to talk about.

"That's part of the negativity I was talking about (in a speech to the Arts Partnership last week)," Sehnert said Monday.

"It's easier to drive around and look at empty places and say, 'What are you doing about these?

"But look at what has been done already to some of these things. Let's look at some of that. I can drive around town and find stuff at fault all day long, but there's people out there doing a good job, you know, patching holes (in the street) and doing this and doing that. Maybe they're not doing it fast enough for other people, but these guys are out doing their jobs all day. They're out trying to do positive things and people go around and find negative things to write about or talk about or bring up to council.

"It kind of (ticks) me off sometimes," the mayor said, using another word.

Sehnert encouraged people to find some answers on their own.

"If I was a certain person, and we all know who he is, who has more questions than answers to bring up, anybody can do that," Sehnert said. "Like I told you, I can go around and find things that are wrong with the city all day long. Are we doing this? Are we doing that? You know, let's move on. Let's get positive stuff to talk about. Or maybe it's a personal thing, I don't know."

That "certain person" is James Routson, who has been asking city officials to deal with homes abandoned because of flood damage.

Routson has repeatedly tried to get Sehnert, Flood Plain Administrator/Zoning Supervisor Todd Richard, and 3rd Ward Councilman K.C. Collette to address the issue, but says he's gotten nothing but excuses.

"I sent them pictures, parcel numbers, owners' names" of the abandoned properties, Routson said.

Routson said he hasn't been able to get his councilman, Collette, down to look at the 11 homes that have been abandoned on his street, Findlay Street.

"He's very responsive," Routson said sarcastically.

Collette said Monday he has no recollection of talking to Routson.

Richard figures there are about 50 Findlay homes that have been abandoned because of flooding.

"We're basing that on the homes that don't have water service," he said. Richard said he has reported those homes to the city health department.

Routson said he is worried about the value of his home.

"I would say it's called stability of the subdivision, the stability of the neighborhood, stability of the city," Routson said. "These were average working guys (who abandoned their homes on Findlay Street) who worked at Cooper, Ball Metal. This might be an old neighborhood, but this was not by any means an unsafe or bad neighborhood."

Routson said raccoons and rodents have infested some of the abandoned homes, and the musty smell of mold emanating from the homes can be overwhelming during hot weather.

"I asked the City Council to enact emergency legislation for old neighborhoods like this so these single-dwelling homes stay single-dwelling homes and not converted into slum apartments, crack houses or anything else," Routson said. "If some action, some aggressive action isn't taken, that's what's going to happen. And if people like me leave, what's going to take their place?"

Abandoned homes aren't the only issue Routson has accused city leaders of dragging their feet on.

Routson was a member of former Mayor Tony Iriti's flood task force, which recommended the city join the Community Rating System, a program offered through the National Flood Insurance Program that reduces flood insurance premiums in participating communities when certain flood mitigation efforts are carried out.

That recommendation was made last November. The task force was dismantled when Sehnert took office in January, and Richard said he hasn't had time to look at the Community Rating System application since the August flood.

"I'm still trying to get everything finished up from the August flood," which affected more than 1,000 homes in Findlay, Richard said. "I'm anticipating it taking me until the end of June. We're still trying to get damage assessments done and issuing permits for repairs. Once that's done, we have a number of permits we will have to follow up on with inspections."

Sehnert has not made any push to try and get the Community Rating System application finished, electing to give Richard the time he needs to work on other things.

Richard and Zoning Officer Jody Bash are swamped with work, the mayor said.

"These guys are working their rear ends off. If some people feel they're not moving fast enough, well, I guess that's a problem with some other people," Sehnert said.

Hancock Regional Planning Commission Grants Administrator Lydia Mihalik volunteered last week to get the Community Rating System application finished up.

Contact staff writer J. Graber at:

419-427-8417
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