PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TIME, continued.
The sewage/drainage issue in the 5th and 6th districts has appeared out of nowhere in light of the heavy rains in June.
4. Tom (didn't catch the name) (same neighborhood) - has been putting up with the water for a quarter-century, this time it was in his basement, too.
5. Peg - same answer as everyone else (act of God) and is concerned that the lift station was being repaired earlier in the week. Was it working properly? Her mom's basement was ruined. Valuable lost. Previously, her deceased father was told it wouldn't be necessary to use the sewer lock in longer. Looking for compensation owing to it being a closed system. Intends to petition the sewer board. Insurance getting hard to obtain for such. Why are they now in the flood plain (as of July 1).
Steve Price (D-3rd) asks about the back flow valves. Clarifies that to have turned the key would have removed the problem, and that it is attached to each house.
She explains the key apparatus. "Not the kind of thing" to be easily turned. Crowd starts to get out of hand, Coffey reigns 'em in. He's furiously calculating as the testimony unfolds.
6. Marilyn Shumate - Lynnwood Drive. Accustomed to flooding (5 times in three years) but this time water moved her backyard shed and ran it into a tree. Thinks a new unconnected drainage ditch is to blame. The problem is getting worse. She's been told, "there's no money for it."
Coffey: Previous administrations took control of sewers and stormwater from the council ("in their infinite wisdom"), thus fulfilling his need to grandstand. Blames this lack of control.
Marinaro: Spent $200,000 roughly in 2003.
Gahan: Can we read the resolution aloud (it wasn't made public)?
Coffey elaborates: "This mayor" has taken stormwater back "in house."
Confusing exchanges as everyone tries to get a word in simultaneously.
7. Randy Ryall - "Not much to complain," from Woodside Drive. Too busy sandbagging his door to take photos. There's been water since 1984, but now it's heading for his house. Could be a new house diagonally across from him. "Strange" that all these people are having the problem now.
8. Bobby Bauman - Mellwood Drive. Has a vacant lot across the way that is acting as a retention basin. If a house is built there, he suspects that there'll be flooding in his part of the neighborhood. "At times I have lakefront property."
9. Sonya Brummett - Awoke to sewage on the floor. Insurance covered $10,000, but still owes five. Never a problem in 19 years. Plumber told her that a valve cap in her house would send sewage into someone else's house. Understands the water, not the sewage. Had to temporarily send her mother to a nursing home.
Steve Price regales us with descriptions of a tort claim, but correctly points out that unchecked development is the culprit. It's hard to argue with that, really.
Coffey: "There's no one here from EMC, is there?"
Stan Robison (city attorney): Discourses on definitions of negligence ... attorneys will have to confer, but this is "a common sense problem" with the vendor (EMC) ... administration decides whether it's an act of negligence. Used to have meetings to discuss these claims, and will have to do it with these, too.
10. Bob Chism - Hollee Drive. Garage filled with runoff, and no one called him back. Wants a catch-all. How to get someone to come look? Has made previous repairs, but it can't handle the volume of runoff. Would like some help.
11. Paul Etheridge - State worker on Grant Line. Daughter's problem owes to clogging of pipes. City needs a sewer jet. We have city workers, and they need to do the job. No reason for these pipes to be clogged. Will try to do what he can to handle some of these things, but the maintenance workers have to unclog pipes!
12. LeAnna Humphrey - Elmwood. Has already done $30,000 of remodeling, now it's flooded again. Lives in the basement, so no alternative. Health ramifications are scary. He can be gotten to examine houses for healthiness? Commends police and fire departments. Elmwood floods every time.
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