Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cherryhurst residents press Troy for answers after April sewer backups; insurance claims pending
Summary
Residents of Cherryhurst described basement sewage backups on April 15 that caused widespread damage and say they have received little update on MMRMA (insurer) claim timelines; city staff said they are working with MMRMA's specialized counsel, conducting inspections and system monitoring, and will provide further updates.
Residents from the Cherryhurst subdivision told the Troy City Council on July 27 that a sewer backflow on April 15 flooded dozens of basements, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage and delayed restoration because many claims remain unresolved.
Robert McFarland said the event occurred over three months ago and damaged many homes; Phil Brown said MMRMA’s June 25 letter listed four defects that must be shown to qualify for payout and asked how long residents must wait for MMRMA to act. Brown said residents were told to submit claims within a specified window but have heard little since. Henman Burris and others urged the city to facilitate better communication and asked to be invited to insurer meetings.
City staff and the manager said MMRMA has engaged specialized legal counsel and that the city has pressed for faster movement; Public Works staff described targeted inspections, exposed manholes that had been paved over, basement elevation measurements to calibrate response thresholds, and the installation of a larger Rochester Road sewer pipe that ended bypass pumping. Staff said they have not yet identified a single root cause but have improved monitoring and pumping protocols and will continue to press the insurer and provide updates to residents.
Council members acknowledged the complexity (Rochester Road construction impacts were cited) and asked staff to improve communication channels; staff agreed to provide updates and invite residents to relevant meetings when appropriate.
