Residents Say Government Development Adds To Flooding At Their Homes

Winnebago County, Illinois- Jimmie Maxwells basement has backed up four times. And rain runoff has flooded Lorraine Thurmonds backyard. "Our backyard washed away," says Ms. Thurmond. "And I miss my tomatoes." "They had to tear my whole basement out and re-do it," says Ms. Maxwell. "I called for help I couldn`t get any help." The women say the problem is the newly paved streets, curbs, and gutters in the Hope VI development. Rain water now runs downhill to the gutters and into a newly dredged out canal that runs under Pierpont. "When I came home one day and they were drudging out across Pierpont, I said something funny is going on," says Ms. Thurmond. Ms. Thurmond`s backyard is now the lowest point and where the runoff ends up. From there, it spreads into Ms. Maxwell`s yard. "It should be drudged farther east and we need it to go in the Rock River like it`s designed to do," says Ms. Maxwell. The women want the canal extended even if it means using a couple feet of their land. They wonder why the City of Rockford`s Public Works Department didn`t continue drudging out the path after it changed the water catching ditch into a canal. "At some place you have to draw the line for where you stop doing the improvements and we elected to stop at the limits of the Hope VI area," says City Engineer Jon Hollander. Hollander says the Hope VI project should be regarded as a benefit to the west side community. Ms. Thurmond just wants her garden back.