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Alburnett council orders camera inspection of Longworth Avenue drainage tile after persistent flooding complaints
Summary
After years of resident complaints about standing water on Longworth Avenue, the Alburnett City Council authorized a contractor to run a camera into the buried drainage tile to locate obstructions and determine repair options; the mayor flagged potential conflicts of interest for two councilors.
Alburnett — The City Council on Sept. 12 authorized a diagnostic camera inspection of a buried drainage tile that has caused longstanding surface flooding on Longworth Avenue.
City staff described a 10‑foot utility easement spanning properties between Willow Street and Howard where a buried tile appears to drain to a storm box. The mayor told councilors the tile had been discussed previously and that earlier councils had concluded the tile was not platted as city infrastructure; staff said conditions may have changed and recommended a camera inspection to identify blockages or breaks.
"I would like to ask Council to entertain the idea of having Rotor come back out and run a camera up the pipe," the mayor said, noting the diagnostic work may need to be done from both ends and could require hand digging or replacement if the pipe is damaged.
A homeowner who has tried to mitigate the flooding on their property by building a retention basin indicated they would allow access for the contractor; staff also noted the presence of buried electrical and fiber‑optic lines in the area, which affects construction options.
The mayor raised potential conflicts of interest: Councilor West owns property adjacent to the easement and Councilor Sukup has relatives who live there; the mayor requested they abstain from decisions involving excavation on that stretch. Councilors made and seconded a motion to proceed with the camera inspection and the motion carried.
Next steps City staff will arrange for the video inspection from both ends of the tile, report findings to the council and, if needed, obtain quotes for repairs or replacement. Because of utility lines and potential private modifications within the easement, staff said parts of any repair work could require hand excavation and further review of ownership and access rights.
