Fort Gibson Mayor: No Immediate Fix For Flood Issues

Repeat flood victims want City Hall to fix the problem before their homes flood again. It's a problem in Fort Gibson, and the homeowners want a flooding fix once and for all.

The flooding issue was on the agenda Monday, and the board agreed the 25 year old problem needs to be addressed, but, only for one area of town along South Avenue, but others who live there think it's a much bigger problem than just the few homes that flooded most recently.

Just one day after rain hit Fort Gibson again Sunday, the water was still puddled in a number of intersections; streets outside of some homes were full of stagnant water.

6/2/2014 Related Story: After Flooding, Fort Gibson Residents Say They're Dealing With Sewage Issues

Homes along South Avenue flooded so badly that the owners can't even live in them anymore.

The town of Fort Gibson has had this problem for 25-30 years. It's finally kinda boiled down to my watch," said Fort Gibson Mayor, Brad Clinkenbeard.

Monday, the board voted to pay an estimated $10,000 to fund a study that would look at widening the culverts along the South Avenue corridor.

The issue brought in many faces to the meeting, and not just people who live in the recently flooded area. People who live all over the town showed up to express their opinion.

Billy Green said his home has flooded at least six times in the past few years, "I can't sell that house in good conscience, because I can't lie on the full disclosure. So, what am I supposed to do is what I'm asking you guys."

Green's mother was so frustrated she walked out of the meeting.

Clinkenbeard told the crowd he understood the problems but that the flooding issues were created over many years and there is simply no immediate fix for them.

When we asked him about a master flood plan for the entire town, he said, "Federal money is kinda drying up, it's hard to really get, you know, but if we could find federal money or find some help, doesn't have to be federal. If we could find some money to do a major study on Cooper Creek I'm all for it."

For Kyrsten Willey and her neighbors on South Avenue, they are still working with a lawyer and said they're doing all their research in order to figure out if a lawsuit would stand against the town.