A year after the Trotters Lane oil spill in Parkland, residents in the area say things haven’t returned to normal.

Parkland officials and staff say the city has been doing all it can even though the problem is not of its making, but Mark Squillace, who was the first person complain about the oil slick near the Northwest 84th Avenue culvert, says it is not doing enough.

Squillace, who is involved in a legal battle with the city on an unrelated issue, believes Parkland was slow to react. “They (city officials) didn’t do anything; they ignored the problem because I was the one complaining. They are trying to get it fixed now because the [Environmental Protection Agency] is involved. They are on set deadlines now.”

“There are at least 10 affected families,” said Squillace, who appeared before the City Commission last week to talk about the issue. “I saw the tar and oil ooze out of the road like maple syrup. My drinking water is polluted. These things that I am talking about are not a figment of my imagination. They are going to have to rip off the whole road.”

The road was paved by Florida Highway Products last summer. The city has since filed a lawsuit against the firm for causing the oil spill. The city is currently working on state-mandated remediation and removal of the toxic materials. After completing the cleanup, Parkland will implement an 18-month long monitoring program.

Commissioner Jared Moskowitz defended the city’s response. “Mike may believe the city was slow. But ever since we realized what was going on, our response has been more than adequate. There is a problem with that road; it’s defective. The city didn’t lay the road. This is the first time something like this has happened.”

Public safety and the health of residents are of paramount importance to the city, Mayor Michael Udine said. “We have a lawsuit pending against the road contractor (Florida Highway Products.) Ever since we became aware of the magnitude of the problem, the city has been doing all it can to clean up the area.”