From: Gerald Fisher
Sent: Fri Sep 20 11:58:14 2019
To: Andy Peters
Cc: Adam Shultz
Subject: RE: FYI 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Importance: Normal
Attachments: image002.jpg; image003.png; Hi Andy, This subdivision has curb tight sidewalks and no planter strips so there isn’t a street tree issue. The “Street Tree” term assumes that the City required a planter strip and the planting of street trees that are a maintenance responsibility for the property owner. The property owner or past property owner installed a tree as part of their landscaping and planted the tree too close to the sidewalk and over or near a sewer lateral. The tree, which is privately owned, is the cause of the problem with their sewer and they have a couple of options available to them.
Either way, we now know that the issue is private so the City is not going to be responsible for maintenance due to root intrusion. Thanks.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2019 11:32 AM
To: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Cc: Adam Shultz <ashultz@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: FYI 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Gerald, just FYI, I expect this customer will not be happy about my assessment below, so if you hear from him, the story is here.
Thanks!
Andy
From: Andy Peters
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2019 11:31 AM
To: 'The Millers' <emgar98@gmail.com>
Cc: Adam Shultz <ashultz@cityofmolalla.com>; Cody Foxworthy <cfoxworthy@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: RE: FW: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Gary, our crew had the opportunity to do a deeper inspection for your sewer lateral this time around. As you know we’ve had it on our “clean every 6 month” Problem Laterals List for over year now. On Wednesday Crew provided me with a video of the lateral, and photos denoting the position of the problem (screenshots from which I’ve attached below). While Molalla Municipal Code does indeed specify that the City is responsible to lateral repairs in the public Right Of Way, there is additional code sections that applies to a case like this, which is not uncommon in town. Basically interference from street trees with the public utilities is the responsibility of each property owner.
Our crew cleaned the lateral while they were on site, so it should be good for at least another 6 months. However, I recommend that you consider repairs and/or tree management as appropriate. Based on this new information I’m going to remove the lateral from the problem list. If you have any questions feel free to contact me, or if you disagree with this assessment you may contact the Public Works Director, Gerald Fisher, by calling City Hall: 503-829-6855.
8.10.010 B and C state:
B. No property owner shall allow to stand dead, decaying, or hazardous trees, bushes or limbs thereof that would pose a danger to any person or property within the right-of-way.
C. Every property owner shall:
1. Maintain the tree or bush in a healthy condition;
2. Inspect the tree or bush for insects, disease, defect or hazard;
3. Treat or repair the tree or bush, as needed;
4. Remove or dispose of the tree or bush, if appropriate;
5. Replace the tree as may be required by the City.
Respectfully,
Andy Peters
City of Molalla
Public Works Operations Supervisor
(503) 829-6855 x220
Cell: 503-793-0507
117 N Molalla Ave
Molalla, OR 97038
From: The Millers <emgar98@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2019 10:03 PM
To: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Re: FW: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Thanks, Andy!
On Fri, Mar 29, 2019 at 2:06 PM Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com> wrote:
Hello Gary, yes this is on my load report. WO#5422 entered by my robots on 3/5, due date 3/28. Yesterday it was repromised to 4/5 by our Utility Crew.
Thanks,
Andy Peters
City of Molalla
Public Works Operations Supervisor
(503) 829-6855 x220
Cell: 503-793-0507
117 N Molalla Ave
Molalla, OR 97038
From: The Millers <emgar98@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2019 1:58 PM
To: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Re: FW: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Hi Andy,
I hope you are well. We communicated last August about my pipe going to the street clogging up due to tree roots. Will anyone be coming out to repair the pipe or at least check on it?
Thanks,
Gary
On Fri, Aug 3, 2018 at 1:50 PM Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com> wrote:
Gary have you already paid the bill? If not, the easiest thing to do is have the vendor send me the invoice. If you have, then we’ll talk to my finance office about how reimbursement works. As to your other question: I maintain a “Problem Lateral” list that gets 6 month service. Eventually we get sick of doing that and contract the repair.
Andy Peters
City of Molalla
Public Works Operations Supervisor
(503) 829-6855 x220
Cell: 503-793-0507
117 N Molalla Ave
Molalla, OR 97038
From: The Millers <emgar98@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, August 3, 2018 1:26 PM
To: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Re: FW: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Hi Andy,
I forgot to ask in my last email; will the city reimburse me the $365 for the RotorRooter bill? I can email you a copy of the receipt, if needed. Thank you.
Gary
On Thu, Aug 2, 2018 at 4:14 PM, The Millers <emgar98@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Andy,
If the pipes are clear and not in jeopardy of backing up, I'm fine with keeping an eye on the root issue. What would the plan be? Schedule your guys to come out every few months and monitor?
Thank you for getting back with me.
Take care,
Gary
On Thu, Aug 2, 2018 at 2:04 PM, Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com> wrote:
Gary I do have the videos now and have discussed them with my crew. I can’t send them over email, files are too large, but can provide them if you were to visit City Hall on a disk if you like. I don’t see any structural damage that would make me think the line needs to be repaired at this time. There is minor root intrusion under the sidewalk, but nothing severe. I’d like to let this lateral ride for a while and see if we have more problems. It’s possible the recent backup was a grease clog or some other not-abnormal issue. Nothing structural. Are you okay with this? Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Andy Peters
City of Molalla
Public Works Operations Supervisor
(503) 829-6855 x220
Cell: 503-793-0507
From: The Millers <emgar98@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 3:14 PM
To: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Re: FW: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Hello Andy,
A couple of workers came out and checked the pipes last week. Any news on their results?
Thank you,
Gary
On Thu, Jul 5, 2018 at 10:15 AM, Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com> wrote:
Good Morning Mr. Miller, my name is Andy Peters, I’m the Operations Supervisor for the town. I’m entering a work order for our crew to come out and scope your sewer line. If the problem you describe is beyond the property line in the public Right-Of-Way, then I’ll schedule to fix it. We are still cleaning up from the 4th of July events, and have a few water leaks to attend to. But we won’t loose the work order, and you can check in any time to find out where you are in the work load.
If the sewer line backs up again, feel free to call the City before the plumber. Our 24 hr Duty Phone is 503-793-9043.
Did Roto-Rooter give you the video of the inspection? If so, it might help me move faster if I could see it. Can you send it by email?
Thanks!
Andy
Andy Peters
City of Molalla
Public Works Operations Supervisor
(503) 829-6855 x220
Cell: 503-793-0507
From: Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>
Sent: Monday, July 2, 2018 11:25 AM
To: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: FW: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Hi Andy,
Please make contact with Mr. Miller to find out where the issue is in his line. If it behind the sidewalk then it is likely on his property and a private plumbing issue. In regards to the inspection from the early 90’s, if the County doesn’t have record of it then they likely no longer exist. The inspections would have been signed off and given to the builder at the time of construction. Thanks.
Regards,
Gerald Fisher, P.E. | Public Works Director
City of Molalla
117 N Molalla Ave. | PO Box 248 |Molalla, OR 97038
Office: 503.829.6855 | Direct: 503.759.0218
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you.
From: The Millers [mailto:emgar98@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2018 11:15 AM
Subject: Miller - 1318 Meadowlark Pl. Sewer Drain Roots
Hello,
On June 28, 2018 our downstairs toilet overflowed due to the sewer pipes being clogged. The cause was backup over years because of root entry down at, or near the sidewalk. So far, we are $365 into the repair by having Roto-Rooter come out and discover the issue and cut the roots.
The issue discovered was a misconnection at one of the joints, this is where the roots were able to get into the piping.
What I need from the City of Molalla is to come out fix this issue. If you could also provide when the City of Molalla signed off on inspection of the sewer connection from the street to the house, please. I believe the records should be around 1993 -1995 when the house was built.
Please feel free to contact me at 503-829-3236. I will be calling the City of Molalla today to discuss this issue.
Thank you for your time and consideration to this matter.
Regards,
Gary Miller