Ferrelview trustees bill Ferrelwood MHP for emergency water-valve replacement after unauthorized work

The Village of Ferrelview Board of Trustees voted Feb. 10 to pass the costs of an emergency setter-valve replacement to Ferrelwood Mobile Home Park after city staff concluded an unauthorized contractor likely damaged the valve while attempting to restore water during freezing weather.

City Administrator April Baxter told the board that on Jan. 30 she found a plumber at 207 5th Street Lot 108 reporting no water flow from the meter into the home. Chief Water Operator Kevin Turley said the meter pit was dry, the meter bottom was broken and, after disconnecting the meter, observed no water flow from the city side. Turley said the valve “appeared to be in the on position and turned normally” but concluded an unauthorized contractor likely bent the valve when trying to restore service in freezing conditions. Menke Excavating was called in for additional personnel and completed the setter-valve replacement on Jan. 31 without incident.

Trustee Elizabeth Damm moved that all charges associated with the emergency replacement be passed to Ferrelwood MHP; the motion was seconded by Grant Lewton and approved on a 4-0 roll-call vote (Damm, M. Damm, Burney, Lewton — all aye).

At the meeting Administrator Baxter also presented ordinance violations issued to Ferrelwood MHP alleging the use of unlicensed contractors rehabbing a home (reported Feb. 4) and unauthorized contractors entering Village-owned water meter pits. The board directed that the mobile home park must notify the Village whenever water service will be turned off or on and requested that setter valves be locked out whenever services are shut off.

Separately, Turley reported that repairs to a service-line leak at 210 Keith Drive in Brightwell Estates have been completed and that Evergy has been asked to perform a site visit regarding an electrical service drop for the master meter vault; Bart’s Electric will pull required permits once Evergy’s requirements are confirmed.

Betsy, identified as a representative of Ferrelwood MHP, contacted the city on Feb. 3 reporting the sound of running water; city staff arranged emergency sewer jetting with Ace Pipe Cleaning and Reddi Services, with Ace arriving around 1:00 PM and Turley onsite by 1:45 PM. Turley said he authorized the four-hour minimum crew charge to jet additional upstream and downstream areas during that response.

The board’s actions close the immediate repair and enforcement steps; staff said they will follow up with Ferrelwood MHP on required notifications, use of licensed contractors and the locking of meter setter valves.