12/08/1980 Board of Public Works Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 8. 1980 covered the foot frontage, and he asked about the cost of hookup. Mr. John Leszczynski, City Engineer, stated that the preliminary figures did not include the cost of hook -up. He stated that the figures were estimates but he assured Mr. DeRyckere that the cost of the improvement would not increase but very likely would decrease somewhat. He stated that it could cost a couple hundred dollars for hook -up. Mr. DeRyckere felt it could cost the property owners as much as a couple thousand dollars. He asked about those property owners who now had sump pumps. Mr. Leszczynski stated that the sump pumps would not be eliminated unless the property owners made that decision in the hook -up to the improvement. Mr. DeRyckere stated that the project was being proposed to be constructed under the Barrett Law procedure whereby the city paid half the cost of the improvement. He further stated that some of the property owners had been told that, if they did not approve the project this time, they may not be able to take advantage of the Barrett Law procedure in the future if they chose to. Mr. Leszczynski stated that he was not aware of that. Mr. DeRyckere asked if there was a monthly fee charged even if the property owners did not immediately hook up to the sewer. Mr. Leszczynski stated that there was a monthly fee charged of $6.50 per month regardless of whether or not the property owners hooked up immediately. He stated that if the property owner did not have city water, that charge would be consistent because the sewage charge was determined on the amount of water used each month. Mr. DeRyckere stated that there was some talk about a retirement center being placed on the church property and the neighbors were concerned about this and the effect it would have on the sewer. He stated that his property and that of his neighbors was lower than the church property and he wondered if the sewer would be adequate for the needs of the retirement center. He complained about a problem which he was aware of on Fox Street and the fact that, after a storm, the sewers are not able to handle the water. Mr. Leszczynski stated that the city would not allow anyone to hook up to the sewer if the sewer could not handle the usage. He stated that the sewer project involved only sanitary sewer and not sanitary and storm sewer combined so there would not be a problem with rain storms. He assured Mr. DeRyckere that the Engineering Department has design criteria which determines whether or not there will be a problem with the amount of usage the sewers have based on the number of persons using it. Mr. Jerry Weldy, a representative of the Christian Center, stated that the retirement center Mr. DeRyckere referred to was very preliminary at this point. He felt it may not even come to pass. Mr. Kernan assured the property owners that, if the retirement center was constructed, it would be required to meet the standards set by the city and would not be allowed to hook up to the sewer if it was not capable of handling it. Mr. DeRyckere felt the cost would be higher than some of the property owners had been led to believe. He also felt there was a misunderstanding on whether or not the Barrett Law procedure would be used in the future should the residents then decide they wanted the project. He felt the residents were being caused an added burden because of the doctor's office in the neighborhood. Mr. Kernan advised Mr. DeRyckere that the Board could not speak to the individual points raised by Mr. DeRyckere concerning the information received by -the property owners from the Engineering Department; however, he assured the residents that the city, at no time, tried to mislead the property owners concerning the project. He stated that the city was acting on the matter only because a petition supporting it had been submitted for consideration, and the construction of such a sewer would be.a voluntary matter based on the feelings of a majority of the residents. He stated that, if there were five property owners against the project, the Board would turn it down, but, since there were now five property owners in favor of the project, the Board would have no alternative but to approve the project. Mr. DeRyckere asked Mr. Joseph Gosztola, 742 E. Ireland Road, if he would have petitioned for the sewer if his doctor's office would have been able to continue using his present septic tank. Mr. Kernan felt Mr. DeRyckere's question was irrelevant to the matter being considered by the Board. Mr. DeRyckere wondered what would happen to the doctor's property ( Gosztola) if the sewers were not approved. He wondered if the rezoning of Gosztola's