City tables request to pay for repairs
May 11—The Crossville City Council tabled action on a request from a city property owner to pay for repairs to their building after a storm drain collapsed in March.
"The report indicates that early on there was some type of agreement that the city would pay half by furnishing materials," City Attorney Randy York told the council during its May 9 meeting.
"Once they got into it, the scope of the project increased ... It seems to me there's an important issue of whether or not it was a public city drain or it was something under his property. I just think there needs to be a little bit more discussion, a little bit more input."
He recommended using the next month to discuss possible settlements with the property owner.
Thomas Hale owns the Hale Building on East St. behind the Cumberland County Courthouse.
A stormwater pipe collapsed and caused flooding in his building and erosion to the foundation.
City Manager Greg Wood said the city paid for materials and supplies for the repair, with a total of about $9,800, but the labor was not performed by city crews nor bid through the city's bid process.
"He had to get it fixed immediately," York told the council.
J. Hicks Excavating Inc. of Crossville was hired by Hale for the job. The bill came to $18,695, which Hale submitted to the city for payment. Council members said Hale had sought for the entire bill to be paid.
"This is the part, in his mind, the city should be paying for," Council member Scot Shanks said.
City Street Supervisor Kevin Music said the repair had been a big project. York said during the council meeting initial reviews of the scope of work had the materials coming to about half the total cost of the work. But, it appeared the repair required more work once it was started.
York said it's a unique situation — the work took place on private property but the stormwater line serves the public.
Wood said in other projects that affected private property, like repair of a collapsed culvert that was causing flooding on 10th St. at a church property and a repair to a stormwater pipe at Northside Dr. on private property, the city had paid for supplies and materials.
"It's a policy decision," Wood told the council.
Council member Rob Harrison suggested the council work on a policy or easement to guide issues of buried infrastructure and the surface owner.
In other business, the council approved the following items:
—on-premises beer permit for Nicoletta's Cafe Napoli LLC at 200 Woodmere Mall
—second reading of a $350,000 budget amendment for a culvert at Interchange Dr.
—second reading of a $30,000 budget amendment for paving and striping at Centennial Park
—second reading of a $175,000 budget amendment for roof replacement at city hall
—first reading of a year-end budget amendment transferring funds to ensure no budget line ends the fiscal year with a deficit
—annual review of the city's debt policy
—First reading of the city 2023-'24 budget and tax rate, in title only. Three readings are required before the budget is adopted
—2023-2032 capital improvement plan
Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com .
