Aldermen hear citizens’ messy tale

A frustrated Clarendon couple took their case to City Hall last week after an August 29 downpour caused a sewer line to back up inside their Third Street home.

B.J. and Jennie Owens told the City Council at its regular meeting October 13 that their homeowners’ insurance had denied their claim for damages, and City Administrator David Dockery reported that the city’s insurance had also denied a claim for the same damages.

The city’s insurer also notes that cities are generally immune to liability in cases like this unless there was some negligent damage to the sewer line by city.

Mr. Owens said the sewer backed up in a shower, rain down a hallway, filled up a floor furnace, and then found entry into the basement.

The Owens afterward put in a backflow valve to prevent the damage from happening again, but they said they feel they have done nothing wrong and that the city bears some responsibility in the matter, noting that they and their neighbors on either side have had backups in the past.

Dockery said that backups like these can happen in instances of extreme rainfall when rainwater infiltrates the sewer system through vents, uncapped clean-outs, and other openings.

City officials were sympathetic to the Owens’ case, but were also hesitant to give assistance to the couple, worrying about what precedent that might set for the future.

The city council instead directed Dockery to call the city’s insurer again and strongly urge them to reconsider the claim for damages to the couple’s home.

In other city business, Nathan Floyd was sworn in as the city’s newest alderman. He takes the seat formerly held by Sandy Skelton, who was appointed to the mayor’s position following the resignation of Mayor Larry Hicks.

Aldermen also considered and denied a request from Kyle Hill for additional expenses on a low water crossing on Front Street.

The council set a public hearing for October 27 at 7 p.m. regarding possible condemnation of property at 512 S. Sully.

A study of water rates was discussed considering the debt that will be owed by the city for an upcoming water infrastructure improvement project funded by a USDA grant/loan. Aldermen directed the administration to draft an ordinance raising the base water rate by $10 per month to be presented at the October 27 meeting.

Aldermen approved the annual city fund investment policy and named the city administrator and city secretary as fund investment officers. The council also approved a management plan for the city as a requirement of the USDA funded project.

The council voted to approve reappointing Roger Estlack, Leslie Norrell, and Dr. Robert Riza to the Clarendon Economic Development Corp. board of directors for two-year terms.

A fourth EDC seat will be considered later after Jacob Fangman notified the city that he did not wish to be reappointed to the board.