City Of Glenpool Says Vision Package Offers Answer To Flooding

Controlling floodwater in Glenpool will be a topic people will decide on when they vote for their local share of the Vision sales tax renewal.

Where busy U.S. Highway 75 comes to a stop in Glenpool, you'll notice Coal Creek on the east side of the road.

It's one of several storm water drainage projects city officials hope people will vote "yes" on April 5.

When Coal Creek floods, the businesses on the other side of the bridge are affected the most. In some stores the water rises to 5 inches inside.

Last May, heavy rains spilled over the banks of the creek and into several businesses at the shopping center.

The city says it's important to get it fixed by extending the sales tax dollar measure.

“As growth happens, it does change how storm water sheets and floods, so we have to be proactive in that rather than just reactive and that means doing some channel improvements, cleaning out and concreting some areas where we don't necessarily have the facilities in place today," Glenpool City Spokesperson Mandy Vavrinak said.

Vavrinak says the $2 million appropriated for storm water management projects across the city is a high priority.

She says flooding is something the city needs to address as the community grows.

“Most people don't notice storm water infrastructure,” Vavrinak said. “You drive across it, maybe it's behind your yard, maybe in a flood channel, so you don't see those things every day and you may not see them like pot holes or like bridges, but they are a vital piece of infrastructure.”

The storm water upgrades are just one of three measures Glenpool will get a chance to vote on.

Intersection upgrades, park improvements and adding more police and fire officials also are part of the Vision package.