Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richmond resident tells council sewage backups, mold and Main Street blight need action
Summary
Resident and business owner John O'Hara told the council sewage from a Maine Street project backed up into his home, left basement mold that worsens his son's asthma, and urged the city to address an abandoned Main Street building he called an eyesore.
John O'Hara, a Richmond resident and business owner at 68721 South Main, told the City Council on Nov. 10 that sewage from a Maine Street project backed up into his home and has left mold in his basement, raising health concerns for his 8‑year‑old son who has asthma.
"We've had sewage, back up into our house," O'Hara said during the public comment period. "There's also mold in the basement now from that sewage." He said contractors and city staff had promised to clean the problem but, in his account, the cleanup did not occur and his family has handled remediation themselves.
O'Hara also raised a separate but linked concern about a blighted property on Main Street he identified as the old Olshesky Funeral Home, calling it an "eyesore" that he urged the city to pursue through the city attorney and potential condemnation. He said he had discussed the situation with city staff, adding: "Jim was at our house today. Spoke with mister, with mister Moore today as well, this morning." He also said a neighboring business owner (Lasermark) had not been compensated for the use of property or equipment tied to the project.
Councilmembers acknowledged his remarks during the meeting; one member responded that the council was "fully aware" of the site. The transcript does not record a formal motion or action in response to O'Hara's comments during the Nov. 10 meeting.
Why this matters: O'Hara described both immediate household health impacts and a broader commercial blight issue on Main Street. If the claims are accurate, they raise questions about contractor performance, city oversight of the Maine Street project, and potential public‑health remediation needs for affected residences.
What the record shows: O'Hara described personal property damage, illness risk, and communications with staff and contractors; the council acknowledged awareness of the blighted building but the meeting record does not show a directive, study order, or vote to compel remediation on the record. The council did not record any immediate remedy or commitment in the Nov. 10 minutes.
Next steps noted at the meeting: No formal referral or vote on O'Hara's complaints was recorded in the meeting transcript; the item remains a public comment requesting further city attention.
