With numerous items on the agenda at the city of Ringgold’s most recent council meeting on Monday, Feb. 13, flooding and the affects of storm water in various areas of the downtown area was a lengthy topic of conversation as council members discussed the ongoing and future ramifications of making upgrades in the city until the problem is addressed properly.

“I feel that we should really bring in an engineer to study the water passage in these problem areas before we move forward with any adjustments to sidewalks and things of that nature,” said council member Earl Henderson. “We need to address the water problem first, before paving, sidewalks, and lights are even considered…or else we’re just kicking the can down the street.”

For years, storm water passage on the streets near Ringgold High and Ringgold Middle Schools has been an on-going problem. Streets such as Shady Place, Williams, Lamar, Sparks, Guyler, High, and Tiger Trail collect high levels of water during storms, as is the case with other areas in and around downtown.

Mayor Joe Barger told the council that he himself has drawn out a solution to the problem, but that property owners in the problem area are not on board with adjustments and easements being made to their properties.

“There’s no need to bring in an engineer when I have already drawn out what the problem is,” Barger said. “We need to talk to the ones that are holding this up before we bring anyone in, or else we are just wasting money.”

Although there were varying opinions on whether to contract an engineer to help remedy the problem, Hender-son and Barger, along with the rest of the council, did agree that the problem does need to be addressed timely and efficiently.

“I understand that an outside engineer is an added cost.” Henderson said. “However, this has been a problem for a number of years now. The bottom line is that we need to address the issue and it needs to be done right.”

Recent flooding also impacted another agenda item at the meeting when the council decided to delay improve-ments to the Ringgold Recreational Complex on Emberson Street due to flooding as a result off downed trees from last April’s tornado clogging Chickamauga Creek.

“The fields are a flood-way right now because of the trees in the creek jamming everything up,” Barger said. “There’s just no way that we can move forward with upgrades right now until we get everything cleaned up over there.”

The following items on the Feb. 13 meeting agenda were approved unanimously:

· The election results for the new board of the city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Ron Graham, Ron Hen-derson, Bill McMillon, Raye Brooks, and Randall Franks were elected to serve on the board.

· The National Day of Prayer to be held on the lawn of the historic Ringgold Depot on Thursday, May 3.

· The Catoosa County Local Emergency Planning Committee’s memorandum of understanding.

· To proceed with the Georgia Municipal Association’s safety and liability grant request.

· The Hatfield Acres sewer acceptance.

· To ratify the Georgia Highway Safety Grant.

The next regularly scheduled Ringgold City Council meeting will take place at Ringgold City Hall on Monday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m., with a work session to be held beforehand at 6 p.m.