COMMENTARY
By Rick Sharp
Kudos to Current in Carmel for the recent cover story “Muddied Waters” that exposed the inexplicable pursuit of a drainage project to benefit two homeowners at the expense of others by the County Commissioners;all at taxpayer expense! Two items bear additional emphasis. The City Council is very concerned the county’s insistence it is enforcing terms of the settlement agreement between Carmel and NOAX, a position without foundation (in my opinion) as the county was not a party to the agreement, actually jeopardizes our ability to comply and perhaps needlessly risks a breach of the agreement. Secondly, the point made by Mr. McCullough, a beneficiary of this drainage project, is incorrect in his conclusion. Mr. McCullough is quoted as saying, “The engineers picked the solution they think is best,” and that is only partially correct, at best. County Surveyor Kent Ward is on the record at a meeting of the County Drainage Board (the County Commissioners) declaring the proposed fix is NOT the best engineering solution,but is the best political solution. Perhaps we should just get politics out of drainage problems and leave it to the engineers.
Actually Mr. McCullough, in his next statement, says, “He is OK with losing trees or having his landscaping disrupted if it would solve the problem,”which may have indeed solved the problem. The third alternative to this drainage issue, presented by the county surveyor, is to run the redirected water through Mr. McCullough’s property at less than half the cost of the presently proposed fix. We have a winner!