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New Eagle at an impasse for addressing flooding on Broadway Street

By Mark Soroka for The 3 min read

NEW EAGLE — A heated discussion about flooding on Broadway Street brought an ongoing problem to the boiling point.

During the council’s monthly meeting Tuesday, William Bautz expressed frustration that council has done nothing to clean a drainage ditch that is causing a backflow of water onto Broadway Street. His home sits at the lowest point along the tracks of the Norfolk Southern Railroad, where the ditch is now packed with dirt.

“The wall in my basement is about to collapse because of accumulation of water from flooding,” said Bautz. “Over the past 16 years, I have sustained about $20,000 in damage. I keep bringing this up with the council but nothing gets done.”

Council President Jack Fine said the borough is powerless to address this issue because a fiber optic line runs below the ditch.

“About 15 years ago I tried to clean the ditch myself with a backhoe, but the FBI suddenly showed up and told me to leave,” he said. “The other problem is that the ditch is located on railroad right-of-way property. We can’t dig there without proper permission.”

Bautz told Fine that he recently contacted the Norfolk Southern Railroad. “They said there is a sign that is clearly marked and shows where you can dig. And they told me it was up to the borough to put in a new drain,” he said.

“They are liars,” answered Fine, who told Bautz to bring pictures that would document how the flooding is taking place.

Mayor Chas Fine remarked that the borough hopes to find a solution to the problem but added that Bautz shares some responsibility.

“I also serve on the fire department and am aware of this situation,” he said. “The drainage ditch definitely needs to be cleaned out. It would also help if you replaced your downspout and added a sump pump. Those issues are contributing to the flooding.”

In other business, the council voted to:

n Reappoint Paul Pro to the New Eagle Sewage Authority

n Approve an amendment of ratification for an oil and gas lease with EQT. New Eagle will receive a check from EQT for approximately $17,000.

n Approve a contract with Maple Creek Mining to clean weeds and remove snow on the sidewalk adjoining the mine’s property. The borough’s public works department will provide this service.

During the meeting, the council announced that the Halloween Parade will take place on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Trick or treating is scheduled for Oct. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m.

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