MILLBURY — Jim and Tamela Ledford have more than April showers on their minds.

They recently attended a Lake Township Trustees’ meeting to voice concerns about the rampant, constant flooding at their Millbury Road home, where they’ve lived since 1995.

The buildup of nearby housing, on higher ground, they said, has caused it.

“It was in the back, far east corner of our lot and it’s slowly encroached, encroached until now it’s covering my leech field and it’s up to the foundation of my house,” Jim Ledford said.

A neighbor to the south is having the same issue, he added.

“I was coming to see if the township could help me out with this, because I really don’t believe it’s my fault. It’s been in the family since ‘61 and we’ve never had this problem,” Ledford said.

He has asked the health department for help because of leech field issue. Ledford was referred to the township due to possible zoning violations. He has also approached the Wood County Engineer’s Office.

He said he’s been quoted $20,000 to fix the flooding.

“My yard stays under water nine months out of the year,” Ledford said. “It never dries out.”

“We’ve lost five trees,” Tamela Ledford said. “The water the past two years has just been atrocious.”

Police Chief Mark Hummer, who is the township administrator, recommended approaching a neighbor and working together on a solution.

“The township has very little control over drainage issues,” Hummer said. “We legally cannot do work on private property.”

If a neighbor caused an issue, the Ledfords have cause for a civil action, he said.

“You need a catch basin and you need to tie into that storm drain,” Hummer said.

Also at the meeting, the trustees:

• Approved spending $13,000 for 36 SCBA air bottles to be hydro tested and internally inspected by Fire Safety Services, Huntsville. Fire Chief Bruce Moritz said they have a 15-year life span.

• Authorized $2,635 to Bronde’s Ford, Maumee, for repairs to the deputy fire chief’s truck.

• Approved spending $2,600 to Toledo Spring for front spring replacements on the 2005 International.

• Heard a request to improve the restrooms at Fireside Park, improving restrooms, one is always surrounded by water

“I know there’s a lot of people out there,” Trustee Chairman Ken Gilsdorf said. “It needs to happen.”

• Hired Victoria Fry as the new administrative secretary at $18 per hour.

• Heard that scholarships are available for high school seniors through the Wood County Township Association. Gilsdorf said that VFW Post 9963 is offering a scholarship for a Lake, Penta or Cardinal Stritch student.