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Hendersonville to buy drainage equipment

By Sheldon Scruggs
Diversity Institute Fellow

03.14.06

Hendersonville's ongoing drainage problem has finally been remedied: The city's Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed a resolution Tuesday to purchase a backhoe and a dump truck at a cost of $150,000.

Alderman Mark Skidmore explained that Hendersonville sits on a lake, and when it rains, certain areas of the city become flooded with a thick mixture of lake water and dirt from the roads.

The board puts aside money annually to hire companies to clear the mud and block the flow of water. Skidmore said the contracts have been necessary to prevent damage to residential areas.

"This was a lengthy and expensive process," Skidmore said, sometimes costing as much as $300,000 and take as long as 18 months to complete. Skidmore said the purchase of the vehicles, at an estimated cost of $150,000, will save the city money in the long run.

With the backhoe and truck, Department of Public Works crews will be able to remove the silt and mud, and lay down barrier rocks to seal off overflow from the lake.