Knox Borough Council Dec. 4 agreed it will not take responsibility for backyard flooding at the South Main Street home of Tim L. and Donna D. Cochran following several months of debate between the Cochrans and council.
Knox Borough Council President Jack Bish Jr. said he and borough engineer Marty English and borough legal counsel John Marshall did an onsite inspection of the area in question.
“We looked at it up and down and back and forth,” said Bish.
In a letter to the Cochrans dated Nov. 30, Marshall said he, Bish and English determined Knox Borough is not responsible for the backyard water problems.
“It is our engineer’s opinion that your backyard water problems are not being caused by the borough’s storm water collection system,” wrote Marshall. “It is (English’s) opinion that your backyard water problems have been in place prior to you even owning the property.”
Marshall said he, Bish and English speculate the water collecting in Cochrans’ yard after rain events is caused by the natural slope of the land and an adjoining abandoned railroad bed.
“It is (English’s) opinion that your water issue can be resolved, or substantially reduced, by installing a French drain system in your backyard and directing the water toward the street or another drainpipe. Doing so should be relatively inexpensive.”
Knox Borough Mayor Rich Cochran, Tim’s brother, also lives along the same street in the same area. Rich Cochran has remained mostly silent about the debate, but has stated he, too, has run-off water problems that have led to flooding in his basement.
“The problem at my place is not coming from (the slope of the land),” said Rich Cochran.
“Your issue is our problem,” said Bish. “There is a blockage in the (drain) pipe in front of your place and we will fix that in the spring.”
Neither Marshall or Tim and Donna Cochran attended the meeting. Marshall was returning from a trip out of the area and was delayed.
Marshall’s letter to the Cochrans closed with, “if you disagree with our decision, please have a qualified professional assess your situation and provide a report in writing that the storm water collection system of the borough is the cause of the water in your backyard. The borough will not address the matter again until such a report is received.”
Bish concluded his remarks to council with, “There is nothing that states Knox Borough ever put a pipe in there.”