Sep 9, 2013 3 min read

For more than two years, Sandy Rogers has accused Washington officials of dragging their feet in repairing a stormwater line that floods her Campbell Avenue home’s basement whenever there is heavy rain.

Fed up with the perceived inaction, Rogers addressed Washington City Council during its Monday night workshop meeting before grabbing her sleeping bag and camping out on the city hall stairs late into the night.

“I’m tired of the lies,” Rogers said as she unrolled her sleeping bag onto the stairs. “I want to make my point. I’m tired of playing games.”

Rogers said she’s been dealing with severe flooding in her basement since May 2011 because the city’s 36-inch storm drain that runs under her house is malfunctioning.

The problem has continued intermittently, but escalated during the June 28 flooding that dumped more than four inches of water and mud into her home. Fire concerns forced her to turn off her furnace, and now she’s concerned that she’ll have to go through the winter without heat.

City officials contend they’ve tried to work on the problem and are making progress.

Mayor Brenda Davis said they plan to vote Thursday night on bids to hire a company to perform camera work “so we have a better idea what’s going on.” Councilman Matt Staniszewski added he spoke to the city’s insurance carrier Monday afternoon and it could eventually decide to fix the damage to her basement.

“We’re moving forward on this, Sandy,” Davis said. “I know it’s not comfortable enough and not fast enough for you.”

But Rogers, who attended last month’s workshop meeting and briefly threatened legal action against the city, said progress is moving too slowly and she’s now concerned about her and four other people living in her home when temperatures begin to drop.

“Another month has come with nothing happening,” Rogers said. “I’m done. I can’t take no more. My patience has been pushed too far too many times.”

She promptly left the meeting and pulled her sleeping blanket onto the City Hall stairs. Rogers planned to stay in front of the municipal building as long as possible before returning home to create protest signs.

Rogers said she took off work Tuesday so she could protest in front of the building during the day. She did not say how long she planned to protest in front of City Hall or if she would reconsider taking legal action.

City officials had no comment on the protest.