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Arcola resident tells council a surprise sewer-line requirement left her fearing retaliation and unable to pay
Summary
At the Arcola City Council meeting a homeowner, Miriam Bridal, said the city recently told her to add three sewer lines to a property where she already paid for two, described years of standing water and asked for help meeting a rapid compliance deadline.
Miriam Bridal told the City Council she owns two lots with multiple mobile homes and said she was surprised when she received a phone call instructing her to add three sewer connections to the property after previously paying for two. "Yesterday, I got a phone call, and they said we have to add 3 more lines," Bridal said, and she described chronic drainage that leaves the property "a lake" after rains.
Bridal said she had repeatedly asked for drainage repairs and believes the recent enforcement could amount to retaliation; she asked the council for assistance because she does not live on the property and "we don't have the resources" to meet what she said might be a two-to-three week deadline. A staff member told Bridal the council could not discuss the matter at length during the meeting because it was not on the agenda and directed her to speak with the city administrator or city staff for help.
Why it matters: Bridal's remarks highlight a recurring local problem—drainage and sewer hookups—that residents say contributes to property damage and hardship. City staff and council members discussed several infrastructure projects and contracts this meeting intended to address drainage and sewer capacity in affected neighborhoods, and staff indicated Bridal should pursue a follow-up meeting with city administration for case-specific assistance.
