Sunman council approves first reading of 811 excavation-enforcement ordinance

Council received a proposed ordinance (20-26-10) intended to strengthen local enforcement of 811 excavation-notification requirements and to give town officials the authority to issue stop-work orders and recover costs for damage. The proposed ordinance would allow the town to issue stop-work orders to any party performing excavation that did not comply with 811 requirements and to assess penalties and recover costs for emergency response, repairs, engineering and administrative time.

Kevin explained practical enforcement challenges from past incidents where markings had expired or work proceeded without valid tickets and observed that failing to call 811 can lead to significant liability: "If you don't call 811 then I walk up and say, hey. You didn't call 811 Then they got to call them or they get issued a ticket," he said, describing the stop-work and ticketing enforcement the ordinance would authorize. Council members discussed the 14-day ticket validity window, stop-work procedures, and the town's ability to place liens for unrecovered costs. After debate, a motion was made and seconded to approve the ordinance for first reading; the transcript records the first-reading motion and a reading of "Ordinance 20-26-10." Further readings and a formal adoption vote are required by ordinance procedure.