ROME – A proposed drainage system on the site of the new Fairland High School might alleviate some high-water issues in the township, but, at the very least, construction will not increase the area’s flooding problems.

Thursday, April 20, 2000

ROME – A proposed drainage system on the site of the new Fairland High School might alleviate some high-water issues in the township, but, at the very least, construction will not increase the area’s flooding problems.

Fairland superintendent Jerry McConnell and representatives from the district’s architectural firm, Tanner, Stone and Co. Architects, and the district’s construction management company, BBLMaescher DAG LLC, met with neighboring property owners Tuesday to discuss their concerns.

"You have neighbors around our site asking what will happen to the excess water on the campus," McConnell said. "We have plans as to how we will deal with that."

Those plans include a system of detention ponds, which will trap excess rain water and pump it through the natural drainage system at a slow rate, said Ralph Bussy, Tanner, Stone and Co. architect in charge of site design.

"The detention ponds will hold the water temporarily and, in this case, the water will be pumped off," Bussy said. "We will continue to move the water so that it is not standing around. The site is so flat, the water barely moves. We can’t have that standing on the school site. We’ve got to move that along, but without causing problems downstream."

Flooding in Rome Township has always been a problem and Chuck and Terri Wentz were concerned the new building might increase their high-water woes.

"Flooding – it’s worst in the spring," Wentz said. "It probably floods five or six times a year. The water goes up and over Colter Avenue and gets into my driveway. My driveway and house sit low. It hasn’t gotten to my family room. But if it gets 8 to 10 inches higher, it would be in my family room. That was what I was concerned about."

Even though district architects cannot promise their system will eliminate the Wentz family’s current problem, the proposed system will not be the cause of increased flooding, Bussy said.

"We’re trying to relieve some of the problems that exist there," he said. "Our purpose is not to create additional problems, but to solve the current problem of flooding on the site and in the natural drainage system. Hopefully, we can accomplish both without causing additional problems."

Wentz will keep his fingers crossed. The flood waters might recede once the new system is installed, he said.

"I think once they get the back water drained, there will be plenty of land to hold the water," Wentz said.

Architect’s aren’t making any promises, though, said Mark Tanner, architect with Tanner, Stone and Co.

"What we are doing to help your situation is creating a series of detention ponds," Tanner said. "In a hard rain, they will be able to hold water and pump it at a regular rate. It won’t be worst, because of what we do. But, in a flooding situation after a prolonged period of rain, it won’t be any better. Flooding is definitely a problem and other than when there are long, heavy rains, we can resolve a lot of the existing problems.

"We’re hoping that most of the time we will be helping the situation."

The district began advertising for bids for the site work, which includes the drainage system, last week. The bids will be opened April 27, and, hopefully earth-moving equipment will be on hand during the groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. May 16.

Site development is scheduled to begin in the latter part of May and actual construction of the new high school will begin July 1, McConnell said.

"Our goal is to move into the building Christmas 2001," he said. "It’s an aggressive schedule we feel we can accomplish. Both the new high school and Fairland East additions and renovations part of the project should be done by the end of 2001."

Area residents approved a property tax levy in November 1998 to supply a local share to state building assistance dollars to build a new high school, convert the present high school into a middle school and renovate the current elementary and middle schools, McConnell said.

Board members approved the design development phase of this $32 million project for the new high school and renovation to Fairland East Elementary School Tuesday.

Construction documents are scheduled to be completed by June 6, after which the project can go out for bid, Tanner said.