Union City Council authorizes emergency stormwater repairs after sinkholes

Union City Borough Council on July 9 authorized emergency stormwater repairs after Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips reported a large sinkhole and extensive pipe failure behind 98 East High Street.

Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips told council a sinkhole about 3 feet wide and 8 feet deep opened in the backyard of 98 East High. A camera inspection “going south from East High Street” found the first 50 feet of cement pipe in good condition but then roughly 90–100 feet of galvanized pipe whose bottom had deteriorated; the inspection camera fell into the failed section and could not be retrieved. Mansfield provided a quote of $14,500 to replace the galvanized run with plastic pipe and about $6,000 to cut concrete and investigate a separate sinkhole in Municipal Lot #1.

Councilor Steadman moved and Councilor Kerns seconded a motion to authorize Mansfield to replace the failing pipe and repair the sinkhole at a cost of $14,500; the motion carried unanimously. Councilor Steadman then moved and Councilor Osborn seconded approval for Mansfield to open and clean the hole in Municipal Lot #1, spending up to $6,000 after contacting McLallen Construction for a price and availability; that motion also carried unanimously.

Borough officials said the borough will proceed with procurement and scheduling; the meeting record does not include a start date for the repairs. Earlier in the meeting a resident, Anthony Hickey of 104 East High Street, raised longstanding stormwater runoff that floods his property, and borough staff said they would look into the broader drainage issue along East High and Bridge streets.

The council did not identify funding sources beyond the quoted amounts and did not set an implementation timeline at the July 9 meeting.