Lingering Project Peeves Neighbors, Leaky Valves Cause Daily Flooding

OCEAN CITY – Neighbors frustrated with the pace and the impact of a $6.5-million drainage project took their complaints to City Council June 28. 
Speaker after speaker expressed concerns about the ongoing work, primarily that flooding has gotten worse since construction began, but also complaining about damaged property and inconvenience as the project dragged on into summer.
The project area runs between 29th and 34th streets on the west side of the city, with construction starting in 2017. City officials said the work is in the home stretch, and that once completed this and other infrastructure projects will be a big improvement, including to drainage.
Those living in the project area are frustrated and want to see improvement.
Bob Dubil, who lives near 29th Street, said his neighborhood would occasionally see flooding from storms. Now, water is backing up unchecked through the drainage system at each high tide.
“We’re seeing twice-a-day tidal flooding, and the water’s coming up over our sidewalks. It’s killing our grass. It sounds to me like our check valves must no longer be in service,” he said.
“I know there’s going to be a pump station put in, but I don’t understand why the check valves would be eliminated or bypassed,” he added.
Speakers also criticized what they view as a lack of communication from the city. They said they got regular updates when the project began, but by the spring, reliable information was tough to come by. Also, the workers on site gave conflicting information.
Neighbor Brian McPeak said the city updates began well.
“As soon as the contractor started to give trouble on the project, communication stopped,” he said. “It’s gotten harder and harder to get information.”
However, he praised Council members Robert Barr and Keith Hartzell, who both visited the project area June 23.
Mayor Jay Gillian addressed the project the next day in his weekly Friday message, posted to the city’s website.
“I understand the frustration of living in a construction zone for more than a year, and I want everybody to know that we are near the finish line of this $6.5-million effort to bring flood remediation to one of the lowest areas of town,” Gillian wrote.
Both Gillian and 4th Ward City Councilman Barr have previously expressed frustration with the work, which they wanted to be completed by Memorial Day, and with the contractor.
Both reiterated their concerns at the meeting.
“I’d be mad, too,” Gillian said. “I want you to be mad. I don’t need you coming up to me, being nice to me. If you’re upset about something, you tell me.”
But they did not go for a resident’s suggestion that the city withhold payment from the contractor.
One payment was on the bill list for approval at that meeting. Gillian said the payment was for work that was completed; adding that not paying it could mean more trouble, from legal action to the potential for the contractor delaying or even stopping progress.
A resolution to pay bills included more than $800,000 to the general contractor on the project, A.E. Stone of Egg Harbor Township.
Hartzell said he understood the impulse from the neighbors, but the city had an obligation to pay for the work that was completed.
“Is everything completed that’s on this bill?” he asked city Attorney Dorothy McCrosson.
“It wouldn’t be on the bill list unless it’s already been completed,” she said. The resolution passed unanimously.
As of July 2, no one from A.E. Stone responded to a request for comment on this story.
City officials said the work is getting close to completion. Tidal check valves would help keep high tides from washing in through the drainage system to flood streets, and paving is near completion.
When pumping stations go online, rainwater will be drained off faster.
“With new road surfaces in place, restoration of private property disturbed by the project work will take priority,” wrote Gillian. “When these tasks are complete, travels through neighborhood should begin to return to normal.”
Pumping stations are next up, two on the airport property and a third off Bayland Drive near Clubhouse Lagoon, with alleys to be paved by Labor Day.
“I hope that the memories of the project’s disruptions fade quickly when we see the long-term benefits of this work in the fall,” Gillian wrote.
At one point in the meeting, Council President Peter Madden told Suzanne Hornick, one of the organizers of an anti-flooding advocacy group, she would have to leave the meeting if she did not stop speaking from the crowd.
Earlier, during the public comment portion, she criticized Barr, who she said told people not to join her group on a social media platform.
“Every time you do that, I hear about it, and we get about 10 new members, so that works out for me,” she said. “However, I don’t think that’s really appropriate city council business, and I’d like the councilman to know that you need to support your residents.”
She said her group wants to work with the council.
Councilman Anthony Wilson said later in the meeting that he did not see any comments from Barr on the group.
“I heard the desire to work with the council and whatnot. I can remember reading a post at one point: ‘the only thing upstanding about Tony Wilson is his cowlick.’ That certainly challenges your position.”
Hornick called from the back that she did not write the post, at which point Madden hit his gavel.
Ocean City council strictly enforces its rules for public comment, which state that no one may comment from the audience, and members of the public cannot address the same topic twice.
She tried to speak again, and Madden again hit the gavel.
“But he’s accusing me of something I didn’t do…” Hornick said.
“Please stop or I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” Madden said.
“I want to get this done. I’ve been working my tail off to see that this gets done,” Barr added after that exchange.
To contact Bill Barlow, email bbarlow@cmcherald.com.