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Council seeks fixes after residents and councilors cite utility digs, potholes and unrepaired sidewalks
Summary
Councilors pressed the administration and public works for stronger enforcement of private utility restoration work and a report on inspections after residents reported long-standing trenches, sunken sidewalks and unresolved Shore Drive work near the swimming area.
Councilors and residents raised repeated complaints on July 24 about private utility work that leaves roads and sidewalks dug up and unrepaired, calling for clearer inspection and enforcement protocols to ensure repairs are finished quickly and safely.
Residents and District councilors cited multiple locations where trenches and sunken pavement have persisted for months after utility or contractor activity. Councilor at-large Morris Bergman and others asked whether permitting fees or other financial penalties could be tied to utility rate changes or the quality of restorations.
Several councilors referenced the city’s inspectors and asked whether staffing and inspection coverage is adequate; Commissioner Westling told the council the department has eight inspectors (four for utility permits and four for city-contracted work) overseeing thousands of permits and projects each year and that crews are instructed to fill potholes in a given work zone when practical.
Councilors also raised a specific sidewalk safety issue on Shore Drive, where a utility conflict had kept a sidewalk torn up over the summer. The commissioner said the conflict had been resolved and that contractors expect to remobilize within two weeks and complete the work by Halloween.
Separately, councilors asked the city manager to pursue a report on whether permitting fees for private utilities could be adjusted in tandem with utility rate increases to offset municipal repair burdens. Councilor Priscilla noted recent high utility bills and urged the administration to coordinate with state officials; Councilor Russell asked for a legal and operational assessment of higher permit fees and how fees might be used for pavement repair and remediation.
