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Wisner Road slips after recent rains
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - October 13, 2011)
Wisner Road slips after recent rains
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Chardon Township Trustees said last week they may be turning to the Holden Arboretum to assist in fixing a roadway that continues to slip, slide away.
Trustees made the comments after hearing a report from township Road Superintendent John Washco that reported Wisner Road continued to slip downhill after recent rains.
Mr. Washco said he had attempted to shore up the roadway with four tons of asphalt, but, in checking the road after recent rains, he found the road had slipped another 5 inches.
"That's like putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound," Trustee Michael Brown said.
The township had made attempts this past summer to stabilize the road by applying fill alongside it.
However, the work was halted when an official with Holden Arboretum witnessed workers dumping the fill. The official questioned whether clean fill was being used and whether the materials included in the fill may affect the quality of the water flowing in the nearby Chagrin River.
The river is designated by the state as a State Scenic River and as such is afforded greater protection.
After an initial review of the situation by township, Holden and Geauga County, federal and state officials, township officials elected to shift the road to the east in an attempt to avoid the downhill slide.
But last week trustees said it may be Holden that pays for the fix.
"Holden is going to be ultimately responsible for this," Trustee Steven Borawski said.
He said a stream at the bottom of a ravine alongside the road may be causing the slippage. He said private property owners are responsible for conditions on their property that detrimentally affect a public road.
Mr. Brown said the township may have to bring in an engineer to look at what may solve the problems. "It's not from ditching or culverts," he said. "This is coming from underneath."
He said the township should avoid spending any public money on the matter until a solution is devised.
"I don't want to spend a penny on this," Mr. Brown said.
Roger Gettig, director of horticulture and conservation for Holden, said in August that his organization stands ready to help if the problems are determined to be occurring on arboretum property.
He said his organization would assist in securing grants or other funding to address the problems there.
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