Repeated Flooding In La Grange Neighborhood: Resident

LA GRANGE, IL – For the third time since the spring, La Grange resident Laura West has taken her concerns about flooding to the Village Board.

She lives near Sunset and Elm avenues.

Since April, she said at Monday's meeting, flooding has occurred five times in her neighborhood – April 13, April 30, May 31, July 23 and July 27.

The flooding spilled over the curb onto the sidewalk, significantly into her yard and near her detached garage, West said.

Additionally, she said, sewage has risen into the street out of the round flat sewer grate in the center of the intersection.

"This means that the same sidewalks and yards, where kids and dogs play, are covered in dried sewage for days, weeks and likely longer," West said.

They are all major flooding events, she said.

"We felt it very, very much," West said. "Many of those days listed were instances where we simply got lucky that the storm did not continue for another minute or the worst part of the storm was either north or south of La Grange."

West praised Trustee Beth Augustine for being thoughtful enough to witness the problem herself after one of the floods.

She said no resident should be satisfied with the village's response that it can implement no solutions until 2029 at the earliest.

"It is appalling that an issue this large with this much frequency continues to be pushed to the side," West said.

In response, Village President Mark Kuchler said he has never heard a former or current trustee say the projects could not start until 2029.

He said West was likely referring to his statement that a regional drainage agency would allow the flow of water from a drainage pipe in 2029. That's when a divider is set to be removed, he said.

"Whatever improvements we do won't be going online until 2029 when that divider is removed, although it is my hope that the construction of (the project) is completed by the time the divider is removed."

Augustine thanked West for speaking

"It continues to remind us of all the work we need to do, and we are doing it," Augustine said. "We can do more."

West also spoke to the board in May and July.