Two speakers at the City of Richmond Hill’s September City Council meeting asked more questions regarding the flooding incurred as a result of Tropical Storm Debby.

Resident Cindy Hatala spoke first, saying that she spoke with EPD over the phone and they told her that the sewage that leaked into Richmond Hill via Rushing Street was ‘100 percent’ from Richmond Hill.

“They said it came from the manholes”, Hatala said. “It was not from Fort Stewart or Hinesville, as many people were saying it was. The EPD said it was substantial because it was over 10,000 gallons, and they could not say exactly how much, because the city said it had come from the manholes.”

Hatala went on to say that she spoke with the city manager to discuss the issue further, and asked when waters rise, in places like Rushing Street and Live Oak, is sewage transported into neighborhoods through the manholes at that time?

“To my knowledge, no,” Mayor Carpenter answered in the negative.

Hatala then asked about the timeline for cleaning the sewage up from the ground, to which Mayor Carpenter replied “as quickly as possible.”

Hatala went on to request that in the future, aid efforts for floods and other disasters be more streamlined and run from city government, not outside helpers. Hatala cited and gave thanks to Meredith Gibson, another Richmond Hill resident who has worked at the Community House, but said that someone like the city manager should be running aid efforts for ‘accountability’.

“I mean she [Gibson] as a volunteer, she did amazing, and I have nothing but good to say about her, but it puts her in a precarious position,” said Hatala. “Because when accountability comes, items were given to people from Chatham County, they were given to homeless people.”

Gibson, who was at the meeting as well, rejected the notion that aid was not properly accounted for.

“As soon as we stepped in and the people and response team from GEMA came in, we immediately began reporting and doing everything as they told us to. Those numbers have been provided to the city and to the GEMA representative. I stand firm that we did absolutely everything that was told of us, taught of us, and requested of us to do,” replied Gibson.

Hatala ended her comments by pleading for a “joint task force” between the city and the county to help prevent future flooding damages.

“At the end of the day, we all live in Bryan County,” said Hatala.

Robert Bennett, who introduced himself as a Richmond Hill resident for 30 years, went next. Bennett stated that he owned three properties in Richmond Hill–and one of them was on Rushing Street.

Bennett echoed Hatala’s demand for more planning and drainage improvements.

“Now I really hope that, after what we just saw, that the county and the city would really try to get this drainage system under control,” Bennett said. He went on to say that fixing his property on Rushing Street will cost between $40,000 to $50,000, although he explains that he is “blessed” to be able to afford it, meanwhile others are not so lucky.

“I’ve seen water on that street, but I’ve never had it as bad as it was,” Bennett said.