Union City council OKs emergency sinkhole and pipe repairs after resident reports flooding

Union City Borough Council on July 9 approved emergency repairs to a failing stormwater pipe and authorized an inspection of a sinkhole after a resident raised concerns about runoff flooding his property.

Resident Anthony Hickey told the council that stormwater from East High Street runs onto Bridge Street and into his building during heavy rains and that prior contacts with PennDOT, the Borough and Representative Jake Banta’s office had not produced a fix. Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips said a recent camera inspection found about 50 feet of cement pipe in good condition followed by approximately 90–100 feet of galvanized pipe whose bottom had deteriorated; the inspection camera fell through the failed section and could not be retrieved.

Phillips reported a sinkhole roughly 3 feet wide by 8 feet deep in the back yard of 98 East High Street and a separate hole in Municipal Lot #1. Mansfield provided a quote of $14,500 to replace the failing galvanized section with plastic pipe and about $6,000 to cut concrete and inspect the lot‑1 hole.

Councilor Steadman moved and Councilor Kerns seconded a motion to hire Mansfield to replace the pipe at 98 East High Street for $14,500; the motion carried unanimously. Council then authorized Mansfield to open and clean out the hole in Municipal Lot #1, spending up to $6,000 after contacting McLallen Construction for price and availability; that motion carried unanimously.

Solicitor Tim Wachter cautioned that some drainage issues may ultimately be a state responsibility, but council directed staff to follow up on Hickey’s complaint and proceed with the contractor work approved at the meeting. The borough will determine next steps for longer‑term drainage fixes after the inspections and repairs are complete.