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Resident seeks reimbursement after sinkhole; council to consider draft legislation
Summary
Resident George Coyle presented a moral claim for a sinkhole at 2906 Silver Lake Boulevard that a contractor said included municipal fragments; Service Director Ben Gregory said the village repaired the hole in the right-of-way and Council recommended drafting legislation to consider payment at the next meeting.
A resident who paid a private plumber after a sinkhole appeared in his yard told Council on May 6 that a contractor uncovered fragments that appeared to be municipal infrastructure in the right-of-way. Resident George Coyle provided materials to Council and said the Service Department initially advised him to call a plumber because the hole tracked toward the sewer line.
Service Director Ben Gregory said a contractor located a previously unknown pipe and that measurements and photos showed the village right-of-way broke near the center of the hole; the Service Department repaired and filled it. Law Director Patricia Ambrose Rubright told Council that the Village is responsible for the repair done by its Service Department, but it has not been conclusively established that the pipe discovered is a Village-owned line.
Clerk-Treasurer Sean Housley confirmed he verified payment of the contractor’s invoice. Council President Matt Plesich recommended legislation be drafted for the next Council meeting to pay the moral claim; Council agreed that the legislation would be introduced as drafted and could be amended or voted on at the next meeting. Councilor Suzanne Garrett said she did not believe the Village should necessarily pay the full amount; other council members expressed that Mr. Coyle followed appropriate steps in notifying the Village.
The administration will prepare proposed legislation for the following meeting for Council discussion.
