The Camp Verde Town Council chambers at 473 S. Main St. were packed on Sept. 12. Dozens filled the room, taking up all the chairs and leaving some standing, because for the Town Council’s work session, drainage issues were on the agenda.
Resident after resident coming from the part of town near McCracken Lane and the ongoing construction on the Camp Verde Sports Complex showed videos and photos, mostly taken during a particularly heavy monsoon storm on July 26, of flooded property, water rushing through land that was not designed for drainage.
“That has never done that before, ever,” said Carol German, a resident of the area who led discussion of the various residents alleging drainage problems.
According to the town, the especially bad flooding on July 26 was related to a waddle used to keep dirt in place on the park construction, which washed into a drainage ditch and clogged a culvert, preventing water from draining according to design. According to Camp Verde Public Works Director Ron Long and an engineer brought in to work on the project, the ooding has led to design modifications to ensure that it will not happen again.
But some of those attesting to problems with water on their property said the problem goes beyond park construction.
“What I’m talking about, I don’t believe has anything to do with construction of the park,” said resident Benny Bishop, while showing the ooding’s effect on his property. “We’re far enough north that we get a different set of problems.”
Issues of drainage have long been contentious with regard to the Town Council — many residents who allege flooding problems, such as German, have been opposed to the council on other matters, especially in relation to park construction. But with a wider group showing up to the Sept. 12 meeting, some made efforts to distance themselves from the usual political fights.
“I recognize if we’re going to move forward at all with this, we need to get your support so that you can help us,” Bishop said to the council. “I’m not going to be really nitpicking tonight. You know where the problems are, you know where the drainages are. But there’s a history with this.”
Despite that attitude from some raising complaints, political issues nonetheless wormed their way in. Mayor Charlie German, who himself lives adjacent to the park in the affected area, recently built a retaining wall on his property with the participation of the town. Although German paid for the work and the dirt he used himself, he was accused of having a conflict of interest in the construction, and having received special treatment from the town as mayor.
Early in the meeting, Councilman-elect Joe Butner accused Charlie German of having violated state law on conflict of interest. German responded that he did not want to discuss the matter with an ongoing investigation by the town of his actions, and wanted to focus on the drainage complaints that others were alleging. Later, when one of those complainants argued it was unfair that the town made it easy for German to improve his property to prevent ooding but did not extend the same chance to other residents, German walked out of the meeting, leaving Vice Mayor Jessie Murdock to lead the proceedings.
German did not respond to requests for comment for this story, directing questions to Town Attorney Bill Sims. Sims did not return inquiries by press time.
“It’s difficult when you sit up here on the dais in a room full of people and you feel like everyone is there to scrutinize,” Murdock said of German after the meeting. “If anyone feels attacked, I think they have the right to leave.”
Despite the sometimes contentious atmosphere, Town Council expressed a desire to fix the problem, directing Long to speak with other nearby entities, such as the state and the U.S. Forest Service, in order to try to find solutions.
“I could not imagine having water going through my property the ways you all did. My sympathies go out to you,” Murdock said to the attendees. “I definitely think that the town should look into our flooding issues. I think we can work with you.”
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
