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Resident urges investigation after extended sewer work, service disruptions in Rebecca Place
Summary
A Rebecca Place resident told the council the contractor on a city sanitary-sewer project left unfinished work on Laura Place for nearly 10 weeks, broke the street’s main water service, severed his home's fiber line, and said his wife's vehicle was damaged in what he described as contractor error; he asked the city manager and water-quality staff to investigate.
At the April 2 Cookeville City Council meeting, resident Robert Bourne described nearly 10 weeks of unfinished sanitary-sewer construction on Laura Place in the Rebecca Place subdivision and asked council and city management to investigate project management and the contractor's performance.
Bourne said the contractor severed the neighborhood’s main water service early in the project, causing a multi-hour outage, and later cut his home's fiber-optic line, disrupting his work-from-home connectivity. He also described an incident in which he says a construction vehicle backed down the wrong side of the street and struck his wife's trailer hitch, damaging the trailer's front bumper and sensors. He said police responded and he expected an accident report.
"I respectfully ask the city council and city manager to investigate the project management in conjunction with the water-quality department," Bourne said, describing uncompleted excavation in his yard where manholes and valves are installed and expressing frustration about ongoing site conditions after weeks of work.
Council members acknowledged his concerns and directed follow-up: staff told him they had been in contact and that water-quality staff would continue working with residents to address outstanding issues. Bourne said he had already spoken to water-department staff but sought a higher-level review.
Why it matters: The account raises questions about contractor site management, utility service impacts on residents and the timeline for completing a neighborhood infrastructure project. Council and city staff will need to verify the specific incidents and any corrective actions, including restoration of yard areas, restoration of services and any accident reports.
