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Mount Clemens residents renew complaints about chronic basement sewage flooding
Summary
Multiple Lafayette Street residents told the commission they have repeatedly suffered basement sewage floods, calling city measures like rain‑barrel programs inadequate and urging infrastructure fixes; city staff outlined reporting procedures and said complaints from prior meetings were transmitted to boards.
Multiple Mount Clemens residents told the city commission on July 7 that repeated basement sewage flooding is damaging homes and livelihoods and that current remedies are insufficient.
Shelby Holderbaum, who identified herself as living at 53 Lafayette, said she has experienced “7 floods” since moving into her house and described successive remediation costs and replacement of finished basement work. “It is absolutely not [a solution],” she said of the city’s rain‑barrel and restrictive flow drain covers, adding that cleaning “feces and God knows what” from her belongings has become a recurring burden.
Gloria Jesse, 61 Lafayette, supported Holderbaum’s account and told the commission the city’s assertion that it was unaware of widespread flooding was “an outright lie.” Jesse said the area has a combined sewer system that should be separated and asked the commission when that would happen.
Jason Lyons of 11 Lafayette described multiple losses of furniture and property and told the commission the neighborhood’s sewer remains “all combined into one,” a condition he blamed for repeated basement inundations. Suzanne Fraser of 17 Lafayette said every house on her street flooded in the most recent storm and that the cost of repeated cleanups has been “heartbreaking.” Other speakers described insurance companies requiring backflow devices and, in some cases, cancellation risk if devices are not installed.
City Manager Shipman responded during the administrative responses portion of the meeting, noting that questions from the June 16 meeting had been recorded and forwarded where appropriate (for example, complaints to the library board were sent by the mayor to the library board). Shipman also explained after‑hours procedures: during non‑business hours residents should call the sheriff’s nonemergency line and the sheriff will dispatch a utilities worker; utility department contact for business hours was given as (586) 469‑6892, ext. 502.
Commissioners acknowledged the urgency of the complaints. Several said the city is working to prioritize infrastructure needs but cautioned that full replacement of aging networks takes time and funding; commissioners encouraged residents to take part in advisory committees and said staff will follow up.
What happens next: Commissioners said staff would continue investigating the causes and potential fixes, including the limits of local authority and possible grant funding to help pay for major pipe and road projects. The meeting did not record a formal vote on a sewer project or an immediate funding commitment.
