Tanglewood residents dealing with washed-out roads as they await the county's decison

The sign at the north entry to Tanglewood Lakes says "Welcome," but visitors and residents alike are having to deal with roads made nearly impassible by recent rain. (Journal file photo)

By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com

LA CYGNE – The dilemma for the residents of the Tanglewood Lakes development has shifted following a judge’s decision earlier this year based on information that the lake’s roads are public.  

While the initial concern was that the development could no longer use gates to keep people out, it switched to whether Linn County would pick up the obligation to maintain the roads.

Now following a week of rain residents there are dealing with roads rutted and damaged by runoff. Some of the roads, according to some residents, are nearly impassible, and with the Memorial Day holiday just a week away officials there are concerned what will happen when the holiday crowds show up.

Meanwhile, the Linn County Commission waits to hear from County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta to make their decision on whether to start maintain roads the county crews haven’t touched for decades.

According to Chuck Stevens, the Tanglewood Lake Owners Association (TLOA) board president, they are following district court Judge Andrea Purvis’ order that the roads there are public until they hear differently from the county in writing.

He explained that no individual would think of taking equipment and working on other public roads in the county, and at present, that is how the TLOA is viewing the situation.

Other Tanglewood residents have tried to contact Linn County commissioners but have been unable to do so. 

One resident, Eva Riojas-Mackey said that the commissioners’ county emails are not on the website but there is a form to use to contact the commissioners but their emails have not been returned. Riojas-Mackey said the she also had contacted County Clerk Danielle Souza to pass her message to the District 1 Commissioner Jason Hightower. Tanglewood is in District 1.

In a phone interview, Hightower said that he understood that the process now was for the county counselor to work with the TLOA board and the commissioners will meet with Tanglewood representatives at the Monday, May 19, commission meeting.

Riojas-Mackey said that she was told by Commissioner Alison Hamilton that someone would be in touch with her and no one has contacted her so she has attempted to contact Hightower, who volunteered to be the liaison from the commissioners. Riojas-Mackey said that she had also left messages with Hamilton.