Pikeville board on sewer issue - Wayne-Wilson News Leader, Fremont, NC

Vance Greeson and Dennis Lewis, as well as returning commissioner Al Greene, were officially sworn in and began their service of the town Monday night.

After the three commissioners were sworn in by Judge Tim Finan, the Mayor accepted nominations for Mayor Pro Tem. Lyman Galloway nominated Vance Greeson for the job, and Al Greene seconded the nomination.

“I have a question,” said Mr. Greeson to Mayor Herb Sieger before accepting the nomination. “Are you planning on resigning?”

Mr. Greeson was accepted as the Mayor Pro Tem, and the board moved on to other official business.

The floor was opened for the public forum, and in addition to numerous comments on the temporary suspension of Town Clerk Kathie Fields, the board also heard a complaint involving a sewer line.

Steve West came before the town, explaining that he had water backing up in his sewer lines during the week of Thanksgiving. He said he worked with a plumber, who took three trips to remove the clog. After the plumber used a TV camera to look inside the lines, it was discovered that the clog was in a tile he said the town owned.

He told the board that Perry Jones of the town maintenance department said, after looking at the situation, that the town wasn’t responsible for the problem because it was on his property, not in the town’s right of way on his property.

Mr. West also told the board that the clog resulted from tree roots that had encroached on the pipe through a shoddy connection. He showed pictures and explained that the terra cotta pipe was connected to the force main with pvc pipe, and that kind of connection cannot be sealed, allowing tree roots in search of water to enter the pipe.

He asked that the town reimburse him the $1,100 he paid to fix the clog.

Mayor Sieger recommended that the board have a committee look into the problem and devise a solution in 10 days. Commissioners Greeson and Lewis both expressed that they felt ten days was too long, and Mr. West agreed.

Mayor Sieger, however, said that length of time was necessary.

“Before I can say I’m going to give you $1,100 of their money,” he said, pointing to the citizens in the audience, “I have to make sure that the fault is the town’s.”

“I still have $1,100 of my money that is gone,” said Mr. West. “If the town had done what it was supposed to, we wouldn’t have this situation.”

The board agreed to have a committee examine the situation and give a final answer in 10 days.

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Issue of 6 December 2007

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