The leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been asked to address a serious problem that has existed at Ottoville ever since the LDS Stake Center was built.
Lolo and Kathy Pilimai, who are devout members of the LDS Church in American Samoa and belong to the Mesepa II Ward, have written to the world wide head of the church, President Thomas Monson, to seek his help in fixing what has sometimes been refered to as the Mormon lake,
According to Mr and Mrs Pilimai, when construction of the Ottoville Stake Center started on property purchased from the Haleck family, the contractor and their civil engineering consultant elevated the entire area.
Before that it was a flat grassy property.
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They inform the LDS president the beautiful stake center and its surroundings was then covered in concrete for ample parking.
According to the couple, the contractor/civil engineer did not have the foresight to install the appropriate drainage system to accommodate run off from the rain.
They explained that in our “winter season American Samoa experiences monsoonal rainfall,” which have been made worse by el nino and the runoff around the Ottovile Stake center become a lake.
They told the LDS President unfortunately the lake is now referred to as the “Mormon lake.”
And they informed President Monson, the flooding from the site not only affects the road but a nearby private cemetery which they said are at risk of flooding and stagnant water leads to dengue fever and other water born illnesses.
The Pilimais say local leaders of the LDS church have “turned a blind eye” on this situation, tending to be complacent.
They assert that the flooding did not happen prior to the stake center being built and urge President Monsoon, the LDS church needs to show the community that I cares by following through and addressing this dire situation.
They said this will send a positive message to the entire community and territory.
Mr. Pilimai, a local contractor estimates the price tag to fix the flooding around the Ottoville Stake Center to be not more than $300.000.
He has offered to consult with the church’s Regional Physical Facilities manager here, Simon Vaoifi, about the work.
