County officials evaluate damage from flooding
Wayne was hard hit by flash flooding from a heavy rain storm that struck the area Monday morning.
Township Manager Robert Zienkowski displayed videos to the board of commissioners from police dash cameras showing rapidly rising water in the streets during the onslaught of rain. About 7 inches of rain fell in an hour, he said. The retention basin at the North Wayne Field was breached and emergency repairs of that flood water control feature will be performed as soon as possible, he said. While bids just went out to clean and restore the basin, the emergency work will supersede that.
Police officers took part in 26 water rescues and responded to 121 water-related incidents Monday, said Sgt. Shawn Dietrich.
Asked about the possibility of the township receiving federal disaster funds, Zienkowski said the county and state would first have to issue disaster declarations. Many other areas in Delaware County were also hard hit by the flooding Monday, and parts of Chester County were as well.
“I know today we had another 100-year storm,” Keith Martin told the board. “I had a few problems. The reason I’m here is I had the same problems four years ago, $250,000 worth of damage to my building.”
Martin said he had problems getting the township to respond to his calls at that time. Water hits his commercial building on West Avenue across from the Great American Pub, flowing from the AT&T parking lot, he said.
“Four years ago when we had the rain, we got 4 feet of water in the building which closed down four tenants in the lower level,” said Martin. “Four tenants were completely wiped out. No insurance. Each tenant, including myself, had to pay for all the repairs. Most people don’t have flood insurance in Wayne. At that point I made about six phone calls to the township to go over what happened. I never got a response.”
On Monday “we got 5 feet of water and everybody was wiped out again,” said Martin.
“I’ve been here for 38 years,” said Martin. “I’m a homeowner. I’m a business owner. I’m a taxpayer. I don’t know what to do.”
Commissioner Jack Larkin said the board had recently approved some stormwater projects and offered to speak with him on Tuesday. Zienkowski also said that he would come over to see the damage to Martin’s property. Zienkowski said that Martin had never called him and Zienskowski has been to see “almost everybody who’s been flooded.”
“I’ll be out there tomorrow and we’ll go over it, A to Z,” said Zienkowski.
Bill Bruno, another resident and retired police officer, said, “They say a picture says a thousand words. I have a lot of pictures tonight of what happened on North Wayne Avenue today.”
First responders had trouble responding to calls on Eagle Road, he said.
“There were vehicle extrications,” said Bruno. “This is a serious problem.”
While he knows that the Poplar Avenue bypass pipe is in the works, “one of my concerns tonight is the (North Wayne Field) basin now has a rupture in it. I would ask the board to get an emergency repair done as soon as possible because if it goes, it’s going to be catastrophic. You’re talking thousands and thousands of gallons of water that’s going to come down that driveway, cross North Wayne Avenue and through my property and deluge everybody that lives on Poplar Avenue and beyond. There’s nothing going to stop it.”
Bruno said that while he was speaking with Zienkowski “pedestrians were trying to get through the current. If those were kids, they’d be washed away.”
He urged the township to repair the basin as soon as possible.
“It is definitely a lifeand-death situation,” said Bruno.
Ted Merriman, a Poplar Avenue resident, said he had 7 feet of water in his basement, nearly up to the ceiling. His gas and electric were out. Power was also shut off on Plant Avenue.
“This is the worst it’s been since (Hurricane) Floyd,” Gale Morrison, another Poplar Avenue resident, said. “There was a lot of flood damage. It was really scary. The water came from every direction. My neighbor’s fence cracked.”
“I think we recognize it was an extraordinary day today and we are sorry for everyone’s troubles,” said board President Lisa Borowski.
“Thank God no one was hurt. I know people had property damages.” She also thanked the township’s “wonderful first responders.”
One of the township videos showed a 150-pound manhole cover that had been moved by the force of the water, that also pushed cars and fences in its wake. In places, driveway aprons broke off and large pieces of asphalt floated away, said Zienkowski.
“These problems are throughout the township,” said Commissioner Jake Abel. The township accrued $3.5 million in stormwater funds from imposing a stormwater fee but he has yet to see results, he said.
“We have this pot that everybody pays into to it,” said Abel. “Why are we not allocating it among the seven wards?”
Zienkowski said that projects are ready but “we need authorization.”
“We are waiting for board approval,” said Zienkowski. “We have money budgeted. We have put proposals before the board. We spent 500,000 on a study.”
Board Vice President Luke Clark said the projects “coming to fruition are a result of last year’s budget.”
“What this does show is we have an over-building problem,” said Commissioner Richard Booker. “If you’re really serious you will not allow more impervious (surfaces) to exacerbate this problem.”
Resident Leslie Morgan castigated the board for caving to pressure and tabling a stormwater project that had been ready to go at the corner of Banbury Way, Francis and Lancaster avenues after a few residents objected.
“Late to the party came some of my neighbors,” said Morgan. Those residents didn’t want their streets to be closed while the work was performed.
“The same kind of thing happened to Commissioner Clark’s ward,” said Morgan. “The fee was enacted. I call it a tax … Bob and staff did their job. What happened with the board? They listened to a small group … My commissioner (Larkin) talks about political will. You have $3.5 million you haven’t distributed. Neighbors pushed back. I don’t think that should be allowed.”
“There have been projects that have been approved. We should do them,” said Morgan.
During the meeting, rain began to drum on the roof of the township building and the board tabled part of its agenda until September, ending the meeting early in case Iven Avenue flooded again.
There was also some flooding at the Radnor Middle School and school district administration building.
“Our maintenance and operations crew did an outstanding job getting all water removed to open our schools and offices on time (Tuesday),” said Michael Petitti, a district spokesman. “We had some water in Radnor Middle School and the administration building but all is removed with no substantial damage.”