Flooding problems in Hennessey were recently made worse because of school construction and added parking on Oklahoma Avenue and by a homeowner who paved his driveway over a tin-horn on Oklahoma at Walnut Street.

Homeowner Abel Moreno, 600 E. Oklahoma Ave., said he’d cut the concrete in his drive to help alleviate the problem.

That’s what Hennessey Public Works Director Curtis Turner said during a Monday night town board meeting. He also added: “When you’ve got 20 inches of rain you’re going to have water problems.”

Citizen Complaint

Homeowner Glenn Rod-er, 118 Mitchell Road, got into a heated argument with Turner.

Roder charged that the town isn’t maintaining the streets and sewers the way it was designed because “the water is supposed to go north.”

“You did just enough to say you did something,” Roder said to Turner, “which didn’t do nothing … You’ve got eight city blocks draining through my house.”

Trustee Keith Meek told Roder he understood his predicament and there isn’t a quick fix, but the board would hire an engineer to tell them what they need to do.

Fourth-Fifth Street Floods

Flooding on Fourth and Fifth streets is also a continuing problem and Meek said it didn’t help with guys driving up and down those streets which caused more water into homes and garages.

“I called the police department,” said Meek.

Police Chief Hank Weber said the officer’s cruiser was flooded and he couldn’t get out.

Make Claim to Town’s

Insurance Carrier

Roder said he has a $16,000 loss due to the water.

Administrator Tiffany Tillman told him, “If you think the town is responsible then you can come by town hall tomorrow and pick up an insurance form that will be given to the town’s insurance carrier.”

Roder also said it cost him $1,000 to put a three foot dam behind his shop to keep water from coming in.

“Which didn’t help us,” said his neighbor to the north, Dr. John Smith, who was also in the audience. His home is at 112 Mitchell Road next to the school’s ag building and backs up to the school’s new parking area on Oklahoma Avenue.

Roder’s wife, Reva, said it helped other homeowners on Mitchell Road and motioned to two other women seated near her.

Settle This Outside

Turner said Roder shouldn’t have diverted the water.

“Don’t point your finger at me,” said Roder, and at one time said Turner was the “obstructionist” and invited him outside to settle the problem.

“Don’t threaten me again,” said Turner.

“I never threatened you,” Roder.

“You said (on the phone) you were going to hold my head down in that ditch and drown me,” Turner said.

“Prove it!” said Roder.

Tillman again suggested Roder make a claim with the town’s insurance company about his losses.

Turner said the water problem is an “issue all over town” and “the water table is up to the sewer lines.”

He also said the town wants to fix the problem and had an item on the agenda to hire an engineer to come in and determine what should be done.

Engineering Firm Hired

A few minutes later the board voted to approve a general service consultant agreement with Cowan Group Engineering, Oklahoma City.

It was a 4-0 vote. Vice Mayor Clif Vogt presided over the meeting in the absence of Mayor Bert Gritz. All other trustees were present: Wes Hardin, Richard Simunek and Meek.

“When you’ve got 20 inches of rain you’re going to have water problems.” - Curtis Turner