Purchase of Home on Covington Could Ease Storm Water Problems
TO: ALL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kimberly Lancaster @ 270.393.3642
DATE: August 18, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PURCHASE OF HOME ON COVINGTON STREET
COULD EASE STORM WATER PROBLEMS
Bowling Green, KY Continuing the efforts to maintain storm water, the City of Bowling Green recently purchased the property at 618 Covington Street which flooded during the May storms this year. The owners of the home initiated contact with the City regarding the possibility of purchase.
In early 1999, the City attempted to purchase 618 Covington due to flooding after the 1998 hail storm but was not able to come to an agreement. There were five neighboring houses purchased due to flooding that year (611, 613, 620, 622, and 624 Covington).
The City closed on the property on Friday, August 13, 2010. In addition to the purchase price, the City has collected over $5,000 in building materials that were being used by the owners to repair flood damage. The City was able to use under spending from FY2010 to purchase the home.
The purchase of this home will allow the City to facilitate a future potential drainage project. The design has been completed for a retention basin along Covington Street. This basin will help to reduce flooding of roads and structures in that area.
The Covington Basin will be a candidate project for the Storm Water Mitigation Program that is being developed by the Public Works Department. This program will be discussed by the Board of Commissioners at the September 7, 2010 Work Session. This program contains policy and a scoring mechanism to evaluate and rank candidate projects. With approval of the Storm Water Mitigation Program, design will begin on priority projects with construction to follow.
Currently, funds have been approved in the FY2011 budget for the Storm Water Mitigation Program which could include the Covington Basin.
For more information, please contact Kim Lancaster at 393-3642.