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Residents press council on Allen Street flooding, water bills and oppose pickleball allocation
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to prioritize Allen Street infrastructure and repair storm/sewer problems, raised questions about water bills and absentee landlords, and opposed the proposed $470,000 pickleball allocation; callers also expressed concern about fairness in a planning director appointment.
During the public-participation portion of the Sept. 24 meeting, residents highlighted several neighborhood concerns and urged the council to shift priorities toward infrastructure and essential needs.
Frank Chase urged the council to make the Allen Street infrastructure project a priority, saying the project is roughly $6 million short and characterizing past management of the project as deficient. Several callers and residents reported basement flooding and urged the council to prioritize stormwater and sewer repairs under the city’s Flush program rather than dedicate large sums to recreational courts.
John Christophic questioned a recent water-bill increase and asked for transparency about how Clean Water Fund assistance is used. He also described nuisance behavior from a rental property and encouraged the city to provide clearer owner-contact information for landlords. Caller statements echoed concerns about the planning director appointment process and asked that civil-service qualifications be respected.
Several residents and callers objected to the $470,000 line-item for pickleball courts. Christy Dagula urged changing the language from “pickleball courts” to “park improvements” to allow broader community input on how funds are used. Royce Antenno said the proposed funding should go to higher priorities such as education and basic services instead of what he called a fad.
Separately, Michael Thompson criticized what he described as dehumanizing social-media language by a sitting alderman after a national shooting, calling for elected officials to model civil discourse.
Council members responded during the public-participation period. Alderwoman Sedra and others described the vetting process for the planning director appointment and defended the city’s approach to the Allen Street funding conversation with state bonding officials. Alderwoman Scott expressed sympathy for victims of violence and urged empathy in public comment while reiterating the need to prioritize urgent infrastructure and housing needs.
Residents said they expect follow-up from the council on Allen Street, water billing transparency and community input on park improvements.
