Navarre resident spurs council action on intersection
The intersection of state Route 21 and Park Street in Navarre has flooded nearly every time it rains for more than 60 years, spurring business owner Jamie Fondriest to pressure village officials for a solution.
When salon owner Jamie Fondriest and her husband bought the building at the intersection of Park Street and state Route 21 in Navarre, they were excited to set up shop in a high-traffic area that could draw lots of customers. Little did they know the intersection would be flooded more often than not and drivers would use their parking lot as a cut-through to avoid the high water.
Fondriest said the situation has been a thorn in her side for the past two years, but the problem has existed for much longer. “I have a client who moved to Navarre 63 years ago, and she said it has been a problem since then.”
How often does the intersection flood? “Every time it rains,” Fondriest said.
A high water sign is permanently situated at the intersection. “They used to come out and flip the sign up or down, but now they don’t even do that,” she said.
As Fondriest watched out her window and witnessed cars hurtling through the water or getting stuck in it, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She recently sent repeated emails to Mayor Robert Benson and members of council expressing her concerns for the safety of her clients, as well as patrons of another business in the building and renters who live in the two apartments upstairs.
Fondriest also attended a street committee meeting on March 31 seeking answers. “They said the property there is not projected to be repaired until 2025 or later because it’s not in the budget. My husband and I were also told that the roads getting done in the next two years are more frequently traveled and a higher priority,” she said.
Fondriest said some of the streets scheduled for paving in the next two years are in newer housing developments where potholes and other damage appears to be less serious.
“I don’t want to disregard everybody else’s streets, but I believe there is no other street in town that’s more dangerous, has more water or is more heavily traveled than ours,” she said.
Thanks to her efforts, answers are starting to materialize. Council President Josh Smith and village administrator Zachary Wisselgren recently met with Fondriest at the intersection for a closer look.
Multiple problems
According to Smith, at some point in time, a dry well was installed to help disperse storm water from the low-lying area. “What happens, unfortunately, is that it gets clogged and doesn’t drain properly.”
Smith sent a road crew out on May 12 to dig out the area, remove the silt and add new stone to help the water naturally disperse through the ground. He said it’s only a temporary solution but council will work on a more permanent fix.
The other part of the problem, Smith said, is half of the road belongs to Navarre and half belongs to Bethlehem Township. “We’re working with the township to get some clearance on right of ways so we can remediate the situation by extending the ditch line there.”
It’s a start
On Friday, May 12, a road crew showed up with a Bobcat, dug around the drain and laid fresh gravel around it on one side of the street. The next day it was flooded again.
Smith said the next Bethlehem Township trustees’ meeting will be June 5, at which time the board will consider possible remedies.
Smith said residents who see problems like this should contact village council. “We definitely want citizens to contact us via email or phone to let us know if there’s an issue we can potentially address.”
Residents also can fill out a form at www.navarreohio.net to apprise village officials of their concerns. Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. at Village Hall and are open to the public.