Central Ely has always been susceptible to flooding, but a poorly designed section of a new trail that passes through the area could worsen the problem.

Recent work on a new trail that passes through central Ely has altered the drainage system around a railroad crossing. If portions of the trail are not properly repaired, heavy storm runoff from Orson Avenue could flood North Street.

Contractors recently finished preliminary work on a path that runs alongside the railroad tracks between the Nevada Northern Railway Museum's freight barn and the White Pine Public Museum.

However, the original contract for the design did not take the railroad crossing at Orson Avenue into consideration, and work on that stretch of pathway has increased the likelihood that storm runoff will flood parts of central Ely.

If the design flaw is not fixed by mid-August -- when late summer monsoons typically arrive -- there is a strong possibility that heavy runoff from the crossing could damage property in the 2100 block of North Street.

According to Ely City Street and Landfill Supervisor Rick Stork, the drainage problem first surfaced three years ago, when Nevada Northern Railway crews raised the tracks crossing lower Orson Avenue. At the same time, those crews filled in a ditch that ran through the railroad right-of-way and elevated the storm drain.

As a result, water that was previously channeled into the drain inlet wound up spilling over the tracks and flowing down onto North Street.

Crews have since raised areas along lower Orson Avenue even higher, and that work has heightened concerns about future flooding.

Although Reck Brothers' construction crews have made improvements to the storm drain, it will be “completely ineffective” without additional upgrades, the general engineering contractor warned the city last month.

At this point, it's unclear who would pay for those upgrades.

Nevada Northern Railway Museum Executive Director Mark Bassett told the city council earlier this year that the museum planned to repair the crossing in early July. But in the ensuing months, the museum has not elaborated on those plans.

Meanwhile, Reck Brothers crews have already fulfilled their contract.

Therefore, the job might fall to the City of Ely.

In the short-term, the city's street crews may build a dirt berm to reduce the risk of late summer flooding.

Ultimately, the city could install curbs and gutters on Orson Avenue, Stork said.

The Ely City Council voted 4-0 June 28 to place consideration of the matter on the Nevada Northern Railway Board of Trustees' next agenda. Councilman Steve Marich was absent from the meeting.

In other actions, the council voted to:

-- Appoint Deputy City Treasurer Janette Trask to the position of city treasurer, and to increase her salary to $35,000 per year, effective July 1;

-- Increase Ely City Clerk Jim Alworth's salary to $65,000 annually, effective July 1. In addition, Ely Cemetery Sexton Brian Bainbridge's salary was increased to $35,500 annually, and Ely City Street and Landfill Supervisor Rick Stork's salary was increased to $50,500 per year;

-- Route curbs and gutters around utilities in the 1200 block of South Bell Avenue;

-- Adopt the second reading of an ordinance to establish a procedure for public tree protection.

The council rejected Councilman Shane Bybee's motion to dissolve the city's outside engineering services agreement with Summit Engineering. While Councilman Jim Northness voted with Bybee in support of the motion, Rom DiCianno and Jerry Meyer opposed it, giving Mayor Jon Hickman a chance to cast the tie-breaking vote against dissolution.

Lastly, in a brief report to the council, City Attorney Richard Sears said the city and the V&S Railway had reached an impasse during a June 21 settlement conference. The Nevada Supreme Court scheduled the conference in an effort to resolve the long-running legal dispute between V&S and the city.

Most recently, V&S appealed Elko District Judge Andrew Puccinelli's March 26 decision rejecting the company's legal quest to condemn the Nevada Northern Railway.

If upheld, Puccinelli's ruling would clear the way for the planned rehabilitation of the 128-mile line.