City declares local emergency after 18‑inch sewer line failure behind former Foodland; staff seek additional funds

The Ashland Board of City Commissioners ratified a local state of emergency Aug. 28 to address a failed 18‑inch sewer line near Paula Road and Thirteenth Street behind the former Foodland grocery store.

City staff described a joint failure of a clay sanitary line and an adjacent storm sewer that delivered a significant volume of water into a local pocket of dry soil. City Manager Wheeler and staff praised the response of Bruce Worthington, Justin Royster and other city crews and contractors who moved quickly to stabilize the site. Wheeler said Southern Arching and city crews were on site immediately and that repair work included extra days of labor.

The initial purchase order for emergency repair work was roughly $30,000; staff requested authorization for about double that amount to cover an estimated additional five to six days of work. Wheeler told the commission he had signed emergency paperwork the previous day and asked the commission to ratify the emergency declaration at the meeting. Commissioners voted to ratify the resolution.

Staff said they had received no new update at the meeting’s close and expected work to continue; Wheeler characterized the situation as likely mitigated by immediate action but asked crews to report further changes as they occur.

The ratification formalizes the city’s emergency procurement authority for the repair and allows staff to proceed with the additional repair work and associated contracting needed to restore the sewer and storm system at the site.