Residents Say Sink Holes Are Destroying Yards
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MEDINA, Tenn. — People in Medina say their yards are slowly deteriorating thanks to problems with the city’s drainage system. Residents in the Stonecreek subdivision say the underground pipes in their yards are hazardous, causing multiple sinkholes in a neighborhood full of children. Debbie Murphy says the damage is causing her home to lose value. “This all started about 3 years ago after we had moved in,” Murphy said. “I started getting these big holes in the yard and when I called them out here they tried to tell me that it was just the ground.” Murphy says the holes stem from the city’s drainage culverts. She says the drains are not banded or jointed together, creating sinkholes in her yard. “This one we’ve had filled up I don’t know how many times because we have a small dog all through the neighborhood,” Murphy said. Murphy says city officials are blaming the problems on the land developer Chris Carothers, with Hickman Realty Group, Inc. Carothers says when he developed the land four years ago he was held responsible for for up to a year. After that he says he released the property to the city. He released a statement: “It is my understanding that the city of Medina and or the homeowner who owns the property with the easement is responsible for the upkeep.” But Murphy’s neighbor Lail Whittemore believes the confusion could cost more than just money. “When we had to have the fire department out here at taxpayers expense to spend several hours to get our dog out,” Whittemore said. “Can you imagine if that would’ve been a child?” Murphy says she needs a solution before the holes get out of control. “They’re more concerned with who’s responsibility it is to actually come out and fix the problem instead of someone getting hurt,” Murphy said. We reached out the the mayor for comment but they have not released a statement. Murphy says in the last three years she has spent more than $1,000 trying to fix the holes.
