GREAT FALLS, Mont. — The Gibson Flats area southeast of Great Falls is prone to flooding issues, and some property owners say years of flooding damage have pushed three of them to file a lawsuit.
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On Tuesday, Nov. 10, three Gibson Flats residents filed a class action complaint on behalf of themselves and other property owners in the area against the City of Great Falls.
Plaintiffs Jason Lehman, John Remy and Dan Sanger claim their property has suffered chronic flooding and groundwater incursion from city stormwater they say has not been properly managed.
The plaintiffs are represented by Attorney Raph Graybill.
The lawsuit alleges that for years the city has approved development plans that increase stormwater runoff into the area but hasn’t addressed the associated flooding and property damage.
They claim the city’s stormwater infrastructure is inadequate and, in some cases, broken.
They point to the city’s Russell Pond, which was designed to address stormwater runoff. But they say it’s been inoperable for years and recently breached, resulting in more flooding and groundwater into this area.
They say this neglect on the city’s part has converted Gibson Flats into a drainage field to store the city’s stormwater.
Through their complaint, the plaintiffs are asking the court to certify this as a class action lawsuit. They’re also demanding a jury trial. They want the city to fix the infrastructure and mitigate future flood impacts. And they are seeking compensation for flood damage.
On Wednesday, MTN News reached out to the City of Great Falls for comment, but we have yet to hear back. City offices were closed Wednesday due to Veterans Day.
MTN News will continue to follow this case as the city responds and as a judge decides whether to certify it as a class action.
