The Vinton City Council meeting was all about flooding last Thursday night. Past floods. Possible present floods. Fears of future flooding.

Concerning past floods, the council approved eight more purchase offers through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation (often called flood buyout) program. There are five more properties awaiting such action, said Mayor John Watson.
The council also discussed buying property at 101 West Second. This property was flooded in 2008, but funds for this purchase would come from another flood fund. The council directed City Coordinator Andy Lent to continue negotiations with the property owner.
The council also addressed ways to protect the main lift station from flooding. Options including building a concrete barrier, or leveling the surface so that temporary flood walls can be set up during high water.
The possible of flooding, not from the river but from runoff from rainfall, also kept the council occupied for much of the meeting.
The council tabled action on a preliminary plat for Eastview Third Estates Addition. Several members expressed the concern that houses may be built in an area prone to flooding.
Craig Flickinger spoke to the council about the creek that runs behind his house on Washington Street. He told the council that while his house was not flooded in 17 years, even during the floods of 1993, his basement was flooded last year. He asked the council to consider removing some of the dirt and vegetation there to allow for better water flow.
That area has seen more runoff problems since the building of the new high school. More water flows from the parking lots across 21st Street to the football field before making its way to the creek that crosses Second Avenue just north of the Benton County Fairgrounds.
The council discussed Flickinger’s concerns at length. The city has agreed to do some work on the east side of Second Avenue to improve water flow.
But on the west side, along Flickinger’s property council members expressed several concerns. Some fear that changing the creek will cause other neibhbors to experience flooding. Some did not believe the project would make a significant difference. Others said that as property owner, Flickinger had the greatest responsibility.
“If it was my property, I would have been out there all winter, cutting down those willows,” said council member Bud Maynard.
Mayor Watson and council member Don Burkey met at the creek Friday afternoon with Flickinger, Lent and Rick Ericson of the maintenance department. The mayor said during the meeting that he would defer to Ericson’s expertise on water flow issues. AmeriCorps has also been asked to send a team of volunteers to help remove vegetation from the creek in the near future.
While some people pointed out that the water levels seem to be higher since the new high school was built, Watson reminded the audience that the area of the city has historically been called Frog Flats because of the frequen presence of water.