I read your “Taming Magby Creek too Costly” editorial in the March 11, paper. It stated that this North Columbus creek, which is actually in East Columbus, is not worth fixing.
Back when Travis Childers was our representative, I met with his assistant out there at a homeowner”s home and later assisted Congressman Childers pen a letter to the Corps of Engineers. After this visit, some local funds went into digging deeper ditches. I recall at this time that Mr. Box was running for office and truly believed he has done all he can do, with the local economy in the ditch.
Magby has not always had the degree of flood problems it now endures. Moreover, channelization of the Luxapalila stopped around the Propst Park area, downstream from Magby. Also, your mention of the soccer field along the Tenn-Tom is misplaced, and has absolutely no relevance here. The Tenn-Tom was specifically NOT a flood project. There may be some small ancillary flood control benefits of the Waterway, but I recall the publicity then and the caveat that tributaries of the Tenn-Tom may suffer because of this large fishing hole.
I submit that the Magby problems got much worse after the Tenn-Tom was built.
I agree with Supervisor Sanders” recommendation that no advance warning be emplaced. I disagree, however, that the fine folks in this subdivision should be relocated. The feds have indicated that this problem can be repaired, and now that Congressman Nunnelee is in the majority, maybe he will express the same regard for the folks in this subdivision as did Childers, but do what Childers apparently could not do. His Ways and Means Committee appointment surely puts him in the position to address this problem.
The Masonic Subdivision folks did not ask for this. In my 54-plus years here, I submit that the problem got worse after the Waterway, and after the Lux was channeled up to Propst. Federal funds under Obama are for infrastructure reform. If such be the case, there is not a much better cause than fixing this problem.
I submit that the fine folks at this subdivision are not and should not be viewed upon as, essentially, cattle, where we can choose a different pasture for them to graze. They are people who chose this location to build their houses and rear their families.
We should all hang our heads in shame to ever submit that these people be uprooted and relocated. It is the feds who appear to have created this problem. Now, they should fix it!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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