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Union City council authorizes emergency stormwater repairs after sinkhole and pipe collapse
Summary
Council approved Mansfield to replace a damaged galvanized storm pipe at 98 East High Street for $14,500 and authorized up to $6,000 to open a sinkhole in Municipal Lot #1 after an inspection found deteriorated pipe and collapsed bedding.
Union City Borough Council on July 9 authorized emergency repairs after a sinkhole and failing stormwater pipe were discovered behind 98 East High Street.
Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips reported an inspection found about 50 feet of intact cement pipe followed by roughly 90–100 feet of galvanized pipe whose bottom had deteriorated; the camera used for the inspection fell into the damaged section. A sinkhole approximately 3 feet wide and 8 feet deep appeared in the rear yard. Mansfield provided a quote of $14,500 to replace the galvanized section with plastic pipe, and the council approved the work. "The pipe needed to be replaced," Phillips said when describing the camera findings and the collapse.
Council also authorized Mansfield to cut concrete and open a second sinkhole in Municipal Lot #1, spending up to $6,000 after contacting McLallen Construction for price and availability. The motions were moved by Councilor Steadman and seconded (the main pipe replacement motion was seconded by Councilor Kerns); both motions carried unanimously.
Borough Manager Cindy Wells and Council President Cross discussed the immediate need for replacement to avoid further property damage and coordinated the contractor selection with Public Works oversight. The council recorded no changes to capital budgets at the meeting but approved the emergency repairs under the presented quotes.
The repair authority follows earlier public comment from resident Anthony Hickey, who said storm runoff along East High Street and Bridge Street has flowed into his property during heavy rains and asked the borough to supply a catch basin and pipe if he dug a ditch. The council agreed to look into his drainage complaint as part of ongoing stormwater concerns.
Next steps: Mansfield is to perform the replacement work and begin the inspection/opening of Municipal Lot #1 per the approved authorizations; the council did not specify a completion date at the meeting.
