By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
RIVERVIEW – The City Council approved a resolution at its Oct. 19 meeting to authorize petitioning of the Wayne County Drain Commission for maintenance and improvement of the Frank and Poet Drain.
Drains are conduits, which allow water to flow out of an area by degrees, whereas streams, which are small rivers or large creeks, are natural bodies of water confined by banks.
The Frank and Poet Drain passes through Riverview, and flows through the Riverview Highlands Golf Course, which is south of Sibley Road, between Allen Road and Fort Street.
City Manager Doug Drysdale said trees and other debris tend to accumulate in the section of the drain south of Sibley Road.
Drysdale said he and City Engineer Souheil Sabak have asked the Drain Commission to clear the county drain, but have been told that there are no funds to do so at the county level.
Drysdale said city officials were advised to petition the drain commission to alleviate the drainage conditions, which would initiate an assessment to the city to cover a large percentage of the requested improvements.
He said he believes the amount of assessment will come before the council before the body allows residents to be assessed.
Mayor Andrew Swift said the maintenance of the drain is something that the Drain Commission currently should be doing.
“I think they are just shirking their responsibility,” Swift said. “We are going to end up paying for it.”