By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Kari and Ryan Newell, whose pool was damaged by flooding July 4, asked city council members Monday to reimburse the cost of repairs.

Ryan Newell told council members the $1,000 he wants is less than pool repairs cost him.

Rainfall from neighboring properties, including the country club, flows onto his property, he said.

He also asked the city to repair the drainage problem that leads to flooding on his property. He said city records from 1994 show the city planned to do work to prevent flooding, but that plan was not carried out.

“If we can’t come to an agreement between us, the civil engineer, and the city, we feel like we’ll have to take it to litigation,” he said.

After groundwater seeped under the pool built two months earlier, it had to be completely drained and its liner replaced, Kari Newell told the council.

The Newells said they consulted a civil engineer who said the problem was that the city’s curbs and gutters were not built appropriately.

City administrator Roger Holter said property owners in the Country Club Heights area years ago petitioned the city to build roads without engineering.

“You’re asking for current damages, but you’re talking about future remediation,” councilman Susan Gray said.

“We want you guys to fix the drainage issue and pay us for the damage,” Kari Newell said.

“If the city doesn’t do something about it, we’re just going to have to be back here any time it happens,” Ryan Newell said.

Council member Jerry Kline said a law states you can’t run water on people’s property if they don’t want it.

Kari Newell said she earlier asked the city to come look at the problem, and when they did the city truck and engineer Darin Neufeld simply drove past. The Newells got a letter saying the city can’t help them, she said.

Neufeld said the city needs to get an easement from the owner of adjoining property and clear out several sapling trees before the drainage problem can be resolved.

Council member Chris Costello thanked the Newells for coming and said the city will discuss the matter further.