Montrose council approves $18,200 spot repair at Lenerman Industrial Park after sinkhole discovery

Mayor Console described a “pretty substantial hole” at Lenerman Industrial Park and identified it as a storm-sewer failure, urging quick action so planned road mill-and-overlay work can proceed.

Council members reviewed two contractor proposals: one offering a full-line replacement and another for a localized, spot repair. Mayor Console said crews found the opening to be “about the size of a riding lawnmower” and that the failure appears to be in a corrugated storm sewer pipe. He told the council that crews would need to dig to determine whether undermining, utility conflicts or other causes led to the collapse.

The council discussed trade-offs between a faster spot repair and replacing the full line. One member referenced a prior trouble spot in Pheasant Hills to warn that repeated spot repairs can recur; staff said there was not sufficient budget this year to pay for a full replacement. Council members also noted available Local Government Allocation (LGA) receipts but said general-fund priorities limit reallocation this year.

Council member (S1) moved to approve the contracted spot repair described in the staff packet — a 24-inch HDTV spot repair for $18,200 — and the motion passed on a 4-0 vote. Council members said they expect the contractor or staff to report back with inspection findings at a subsequent meeting and to program a full replacement in next year’s capital plan if inspection shows wider degradation.

Staff said crews plan to televise or jet the pipe where feasible to inspect the remainder of the line and to follow up with further recommendations for replacement or monitoring. The council’s decision prioritizes keeping the scheduled road work on track while documenting the longer-term need to fully replace the pipe if inspections show systemic failure.

The council approved the spot repair and directed staff to report findings and recommendations at a future meeting.