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Homewood staff says storm undermined creek wall; emergency repair to come to council with $110,000 estimate
Summary
City staff told the Finance Committee that heavy storms pushed out a creek-retaining wall behind two houses on Broadway. Staff will present an emergency-repair contract to the full council Monday with a contractor estimate of about $110,000; no formal action was taken at the committee meeting.
A city staff member told the Finance Committee on April 7 that a retaining wall along a creek at 709 and 711 Broadway pushed outward during a recent storm and damaged the homeowners’ backyards.
"I'll be coming to council on Monday night for an emergency repair," the staff member said, adding that a contractor who inspected the site estimated the work would be "probably gonna be around $110,000." He said Alabama Power crews had temporarily shored a leaning utility pole so crews could access the site.
The committee did not take action; the staff member said he will bring contracts and final estimates to the full City Council under “other new business” on Monday. Committee members discussed how the city has handled shoreline and creek-wall failures in the past and cautioned about precedent and liability if the city assumes repair costs for private property near water.
One committee member urged caution, noting that in many municipalities property owners who live on waterways are expected to assume erosion risk; another said the city has legal responsibilities for that waterway and must weigh precedent as it considers emergency spending.
The staff member said there was no reported damage to a nearby swimming pool but confirmed some power-line issues were addressed by Alabama Power that morning. No firm contract was signed at the committee meeting; the matter will return to the council with contract documents and a recommended funding source.
For now, the city characterized the item as a forthcoming emergency-repair proposal rather than a completed procurement; committee members asked staff to provide supporting documents and cost breakdowns when the item appears on the full council agenda.
