During and after a presentation by the Hamilton County Commissioners at the City Council meeting last Monday, much clarification on the issue was sought and given by both the city and council, and dozens of other solutions were suggested.
The root of the problem is a compound of various issues with the ʼ70s era construction and engineering techniques. The pipes in the Crooked Stick area are due for replacement in the next five years, due to the rapid decay of the metals used, the fact that one of the pipes has filled with silt and the drainage pipes’ points of entry to the pond, which are 4 feet underwater. None of this would pass muster by today’s standards.
The root of the political problem is a dispute regarding which option to fix the problem should be used, and whether the City of Carmel has agreed to pay for the work.
After discussion of the two solutions suggested (routing the water through the Hall property and lowering the level of the pond by 4 feet), the officials decided the situation required further investigation by city and county engineers. Both parties have agreed to take a second look at the problem before pursuing litigation.
At the end of the discussion, Mayor Jim Brainard offered some advice.
“Don’t take legal advice from any engineers, and don’t take engineering advice from any politicians,” he said.