Several concerned residents attended the town council meeting Monday night in North Webster.

The drainage issue with Epworth Forest and Center Street is becoming unmanageable and the affected homeowners looked to the council for direction.

Kevin Smith, president of the Webster Lake Conservation Association , was the first to speak of the issue regarding silt from north of Epworth Forest into the Albert Eckert addition and channel.

"We are trying to get resolution or enforcement to slow down the silt from going into the channel and filling it up," Smith said.

Denny Meyer, who has lived on Center Street since 1978, has watched as the development increased, so has the water issue. He installed a 12-inch drainage tile and that is not adequate for the flow coming through his property from Hoss Addition. He has been maintaining the private ditch, which he owns, for almost 30 years and replaced his yard five times during that time.

Rick Monroe showed detailed photos to the council of the damage and flowing water. During Sunday's long rain he had to clean the drainpipe in his yard six times to keep the water flowing.

"There is far more rain coming down that hill than the county or anyone else wants to admit," Monroe said.

Residents have contacted the Area Plan Commission and the county surveyor with little or no response.

Dawn Meyer said, "Matt Sandy has been aware of this problem, it has been on his desk for over a month and we are still waiting for a response. ... It is not only a silt problem but a volume of water problem."

Kathy Thomas has been unable to use her pontoon that is in the channel because of the silt, and informed the council that there are 18 homes directly affected in the same manner.

President Jon Sroufe reiterated several times that the town could not take on this issue, and that the town is not responsible for the drainage outside its jurisdiction or on private property. Sroufe agreed that he would approach Dan Richard, director of the Area Plan Commission and Sandy to see if there is an acceleration of water coming from Hoss Hills, not on behalf of the town but as a courtesy.

Jeremy Sponseller introduced and welcomed Greg Gear as the new public works superintendent of North Webster. Sponseller is the project manager in Syracuse, serving North Webster for five years. He will continue to manage the waste water treatment plant in North Webster.

Town Marshal Greg Church gave his incident reports for the month , which included two battery, two criminal mischiefs, eight theft conversions and fraud, no drug related and six alcohol cases. Church also wanted to thank the Kosciusko Prosecutor's Office for purchasing new video cameras for the police vehicles.

The budget approval meeting is changed to Sept. 30 at 8:30 a.m., and the next town council meeting will be Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.