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Ferrysburg council approves $9,750 Cecilia Lane ditch work with 25% owner contribution and engineer review
Summary
After debate over precedent and maintenance responsibilities, the council approved a $9,750 Anchor Excavating quote for the Cecilia Lane ditch project; the homeowner offered to pay 25% and the council conditioned approval on a city engineer review before construction.
The Ferrysburg City Council voted to approve a $9,750 proposal from Anchor Excavating to remediate a drainage ditch in front of a Cecilia Lane property, with the property owner contributing 25% of the cost and the work subject to review and approval by the city engineer.
City staff and council members reviewed the history of similar projects and emphasized concerns about setting precedent and ongoing maintenance costs for the Department of Public Works. "This is, we're opening a can of worms here... once you do it for someone, you're setting a precedent," one councilmember said during debate, noting past instances when neighbors shared costs and the city paid engineering fees.
Homeowner Ryan Weber, who identified himself to the council as the owner at 16916 Cecilia, described the ditch as an eyesore and said the maintenance involved heavy machinery rather than routine mowing. "The maintenance that we're referencing is not like a weed whacker and, like a lawnmower... It's like a backhoe that comes in," Weber told the council. He said he offered to contribute toward the cost and had obtained a reputable lower quote from a contractor used locally.
Council ultimately approved the motion with a condition that the city engineer review the planned work and that the homeowner contribute 25% of the project cost. On roll call the motion passed with an affirmative majority; DeWitt and the mayor registered no votes while other councilmembers voted yes.
