Agenda Packets - 2004/08/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council July 26, 2004 Regular Meeting Page 4 10. COUNCIL BUSINESS 1 2 A. Rick Winters, the son of Dorothy Winters, would like to speak to Council 3 regarding a reimbursement request for Basement Flood Damage due to a Main 4 Sewer Line Blockage at 7831 Sunnyside Road. 5 6 Rick Winters, son of property owner, Dorothy Winters, stated on December 27, 2003 his 7 mother’s sewer backed up, leaving two inches of sewage in her basement, and the backup 8 occurred due to a blockage in the street. He stated that Service Master worked for three days to 9 clean up the basement, and the cost was $5,000. He stated that the League of Minnesota Cities 10 had denied the claim. 11 12 Mr. Winters stated Title Source, the business next door, had been having sewer difficulties 13 during this same week, which the City had indicated may have been a factor in the main line 14 problem. He stated he submitted a sworn affidavit to the Council from the manager of Title 15 Source describing the events regarding the sewer problem. He stated that it would be reasonable 16 to expect the Public Works Department to contact Title Source to see if the problem had been 17 resolved so that the main line could be checked, thus preventing the sewer backup into his 18 mother’s home. He stated he believes the City of Mounds View has responsibility and liability 19 for this issue. 20 21 Council Member Stigney asked why the insurance company rejected the claim, and Mr. Winters 22 stated that they had said they felt there wasn’t liability on the City’s part because there was no 23 negligence on the City’s part because they had cleaned the line twice in the last couple of years. 24 25 Tim Pittman, Public Works Supervisor, stated that Title Source had been having problems with 26 their sewer line, which Roto-Rooter had been working on, and he had gone and checked the two 27 manholes upstream and downstream, and they were having good flow at the time. He stated that 28 probably something finally broke loose later and plugged the main. 29 30 Council Member Marty stated he would concur with Staff’s recommendation that the City assist 31 the Winters should they decide to file a case against Roto Rooter. 32 33 Mr. Winters stated he didn’t feel it was his mother’s job to sort out the facts or to go after Roto-34 Rooter or Title Source. He felt that was between the City of Mounds View and Roto-Rooter or 35 Title Source. 36 37 Mayor Linke stated that what happens inside of that service connection is out of the City’s 38 control. He stated that they wouldn’t want to set a precedent for the City by paying this $5,000 39 claim. 40 41 Mr. Winters stated that the City hadn’t had a blockage for ten years, so it wasn’t an event that 42 happened very often. 43 44