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Resident says sewer backup ruined her home; village and contractor dispute responsibility
Summary
A Tinley Park resident told the board her house suffered nearly $100,000 in damage from a sewer backup tied to recent resurfacing work; the resident says village-contracted crews caused the damage and demands resolution, while Davis Concrete representatives denied contractor negligence at a public meeting.
A Tinley Park homeowner told the Village Board on Feb. 4 that a sewer backup tied to recent street work caused nearly $100,000 in damage to her house and that she has received no satisfactory resolution after more than 134 days.
The resident, identified in the public-record portion of the meeting as Joy (surname recorded variably in the transcript), said she has documented the damage in a binder and has repeatedly sought village assistance. She said she filed claims with the contractors and submitted multiple FOIA requests to obtain communications and inspection records. She told the board she and her family have exhausted savings and taken a mortgage to cover repairs and said that if there is no resolution by the Feb. 18 meeting she will seek legal counsel or go to the media.
Village staff and trustees said they have pressed the contractors for answers. Public Works staff reported that representatives of Davis Concrete met with village staff to reinspect the manhole and that insurance adjusters must make determinations about responsibility. Staff explained that the village is generally beholden to insurers’ determinations and cannot unilaterally disburse funds absent contractual or legal authority.
Chaz Davis, speaking for Davis Concrete, told the board the company “denies the notion that this is contractor negligence” and said his firm did not perform sewer work and did not touch the manhole during the project. He stated the company’s review supports that the situation falls “out of the scope” of their contracted work.
The homeowner said an independent sewer consultant retained by her found that the manhole frame had shifted east between 6 and 12 inches and asserted the shift was not a small chip but a displacement. She said she has received scant documentary evidence from the village in response to FOIA requests and that earlier staff promises to pursue resolution have not produced one.
Mayor Michael Glatz and trustees said they were sympathetic and directed staff to continue pressing the contractors and insurers. The mayor asked staff (Public Works director John Urranski) to convene further discussions; trustees asked to be kept informed and to include the village attorney and board members in scheduled calls. Staff said a meeting with the contractor occurred and that insurance adjusters remain involved.
Members of the public urged the board to hold contractors accountable and to consider the village’s options if insurers deny responsibility. The board and staff agreed to pursue further review and to keep the homeowner updated.
