Published: August 08, 2008 12:45 pm            

Sunset Hills work will proceed in Clark County

After a year of dispute and dialogue to find a solution to the drainage problems at the Sunset Hills subdivision, attorneys Dan Moore, Greg Fifer and Doug Bates were finally able to reach a resolution.

The Clark County Commissioners signed an agreement Thursday allowing the drainage board and commissioners to approve and complete work to fix the pooling water, muddy streets and flooded yards plaguing the subdivision.

“This thing got sidetracked,” said Fifer, who has been representing residents there. “Nobody I talked to denied that the people of Sunset Hills have significant drainage problems after rain events.”

“The burden now passes to the homeowners to get the necessary paperwork in.”

Any Sunset Hills residents seeking drainage improvements need to submit a petition to the drainage board and the commissioners. Improvements in the subdivision cannot exceed the amount in the drainage board’s fund, collected from subdivision developers.

The agreement is not yet a full resolution of any construction improvements in the subdivision, but is still a step forward in what has been a long process.

Fifer’s recent involvement in the dispute between the board, the commissioners, and county surveyor Bob Isgrigg spurred the compromise to address drainage in the subdivision.

“I’d say it picked up some momentum,” Fifer said. “I think our joining would have complicated the issues and the public officials involved wanted to avoid it because it was obvious this was a problem that needed to be solved.”

Moore and the commissioners thanked Fifer for his involvement in trying to address the situation, and Moore said the resolution was reached “thanks in no small part to working with Fifer.”

Fifer withdrew his motion to intervene in the case between Isgrigg and the commissioners and drainage board when the decision was made to sign the resolution. The agreement states that the commissioners and drainage board have the authority to authorize construction work in the subdivision, and that plans are first to be drawn up by board engineer Brian Dixon, then sent to Isgrigg and county engineer Hyun Lee for recommendations or changes.

Isgrigg also has signed an agreement that he will not raise any more objections to drainage improvements in Sunset Hills.

“Greg, on behalf of (residents), put some organization into it,” said Commissioner Ralph Guthrie. “When people are willing to sit down and bend a little bit, we can get things done.

“We’re all relieved, there’s no question,” he said. “Hopefully it will end with a good result.”

Commissioner Mike Moore said he is extremely happy with Thursday’s vote to start work at Sunset Hills.

“This is a great day for the residents of Sunset Hills,” he said.

In other business

• Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden came before the commissioners Thursday to request the use of funding to purchase a large cooking pot, other kitchen utensils, a new computer server for the jail and the replacement of three switches attached to the server.

The commissioners approved his request unanimously. The money will come from a $110,000 fund collected from the state for housing out of county inmates.

        

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