Resident decries pooling water, mud in community

A resident of the Mountain Falls community is fed up with what he considers a lack of concern from the builder of his Cassero West neighborhood.

Claude McCaslin said a section of where homeowners enter the community is constantly flooded due to what he believes was shoddy work at the hands of the contractor.

He noted that whenever it rains, the water builds up and pools at the entrance along with mud and other debris.

He also said due to ongoing construction in the neighborhood, water trucks also create the same problem.

McCaslin and his wife moved to the area roughly two years ago from Southern California.

"I've been fighting with William Lyon Homes since May to get them to fix the problem," he said. "I had hernia surgery in June, and I was laid up for about three and a half weeks, so they thought they got rid of me. Once I was able to get up and get around I was down there again and I get the same old story about them doing something about it."

McCaslin, who is retired, was himself a contractor and inspector for many years.

He said the party responsible for the work should be ashamed of the finished product.

"They made a mistake and nobody wants to own up to it," he said. "There is another section just down the way, which is completely out of grade and the water runs backwards instead of out to the street like it should."

McCaslin said he saw firsthand what kind of problems the situation is creating.

He noted that a recent rainfall flooded the intersection.

"The water was up past your ankles," he said. "I have lived here for about two years and that drain has always been no problem for as long as I've been here. The people at William Lyons Homes say the area is the county's responsibility."

Additionally, McCaslin said he recently had to help an elderly neighbor whose scooter got stuck in the sludge.

"It's also a hazard for handicapped people because he couldn't get his scooter through there," he said. "There was one gentleman in a scooter who was stuck in the mud while I was out riding my bike, so I pushed him through the mud to the dry part and got him going again."

McCaslin also noted that efforts to quickly remedy the problem only created more problems.

"They used a sweeper through here but all it did was make a mess," he said. "This has got to be resolved or the water will keep flowing out and pooling in the low spot."

McCaslin appears to have an ally in his corner in the form of a Nye County commissioner.

Dan Schinhofen said he's familiar with the situation and he's looking to help solve the problem as soon as possible.

"Mountain Falls Parkway has been accepted by the county," he said. "I talked with the road manager early Monday and he's going to get a grinder out there and try to grind that section to get that water to flow from the intersection. The other issue is the drainage between the properties and we are still working with William Lyon Homes, because it was inspected and it was approved."

Schinhofen also said part of the responsibility lies on the shoulders of the company.

"As we understand it, that is William Lyon Homes' responsibility to keep it clean and if it's not draining properly, they need to address that," he said. "I'm still trying to meet with them to address that issue. If it is William Lyon Homes' responsibility, we just can't go in there and fix it, but if it continues to be a health hazard, there are other issues that we have to deal with."

McCaslin, meanwhile said he and his neighbors would just like to enter and leave their neighborhood without having to wash their cars each day.

"This is a nice quiet neighborhood and it's a shame that we have to live with this. With all that mud piling up it makes the neighborhood look horrible and I would be embarrassed if I were selling homes in here because people can drive by and see it. Just up the way there's a home for sale and if potential buyers come by and see that, they probably wouldn't want to live here."