Sewer problem on Roys was caused by library construction

At the Oct. 2 meeting of the Belleville City Council, Grace Baptist Church Pastor Robert White praised the work of Mayor Pro-Tem Ken Voigt, Councilman Tom Fielder and DPW Director Rick Rutherford for taking the time to fix the sewer problem on Roys Street.
Under public comment at the beginning of the meeting, he said Rutherford performed due diligence for the past two years and the problem was determined. He said Rutherford was always there.
Pastor White said the sewer was scoped three times and all three times it was determined that the problem was in the middle of Roys Street.
He said they talked with those responsible for the construction of the library and there was a lack of concern.
Pastor White said the church’s auditorium was in place for 53 years and there was never a problem with the sewer until after the construction was completed.
He said the construction company found they had done no wrong, but said they would be glad to help the church with its problem.
“I’ve heard nothing from the library at all” since the problem was discovered, he said, adding he doesn’t know if it’s because of arrogance on their part or their thought that “our church is a Podunk church.”
Pastor White said his church had been there more than 80 years and he felt they were shunned and the sewer backup problem kept him from baptizing members into the Christian faith.
He read items from the Independent reporting comments at the library board meetings over the years. He said they planned a meeting to discuss the sewer and called him the night before to invite him. He had a doctor’s appointment and couldn’t come and there were comments made afterward that at the meeting they determined it wasn’t the library’s fault and insinuated that the pastor wasn’t interested because he didn’t attend.
Pastor White said Rutherford saw the scope in 2021 and scoped it himself. He said Rutherford came back and reported to the city and the construction company.
“If we found he was correct, why don’t you folks just fire him for not doing what you want?” he asked of the city council.
“It was the sewer, not the bapistry water that caused the problem,” he said.
“The construction company cut the pipe there and indeed it was their fault,” Pastor White said of what was found when Roys Street was recently dug up. “I have heard nothing from them.”
Mayor Pro-Tem Voigt, who was chairing the council meeting in the absence of the mayor, said the problem was that that sewer line doesn’t show up on city maps. He said he’s glad the problem is finally solved.
Rutherford said later that the 8” pipe that wasn’t on the map should have been seen by the construction company during its work. He said inspectors, including himself, were at the library construction site constantly but this was done when no inspector was there.
Fielder thanked Pastor White for his patience and said the solution was not delayed because of “malice on our part.” He said Pastor White’s persistence with the situation made all the difference.
“I have talked to the library about that,” Fielder said, adding the administration said to no longer look at who’s fault it is, but just solve the problem. “The baptismal font works.”
At the end of the meeting, Councilman Fielder said this problem showed there was a mystery of what the city has underground. He said a GSI class is being taught at Belleville High School and the teacher said he would like to have his students map the city utilities as interns.
“I think it’s a no-brainer,” Fielder said of the GSI work. “Pastor White was the only one who had a document that showed it.”
Rutherford said he had a 1982 map.
Mayor Pro Tem Voigt said there are 700 gallons in the bapistry that empties into that line, along with the church’s front bathrooms which are seldom used. They had to run the 700 gallons into the line that doesn’t exist on a map.
Victoria Commons comments
After Pastor White completed his comments, Tom Jones of Victoria Commons rose to ask about the city doing work that is needed at his subdivision. That included signs that are fading and a young man who parks on the wrong side of the road. He said he has lived there 26 years and there had never been parking on the right side all those years, until now.
Councilwoman Kelly Bates interrupted his comments and said she had the fire department come out and they said it wasn’t on the wrong side. Though the discussion it turned out that Bates’ husband was the one doing the parking Jones objected to.
Jones said they have to stop traffic because of this one vehicle.
Acting Police Chief Kris Faull said it’s a fire lane. Fire Chief Brian Loranger said it’s not safe the way it is now and Councilman Bates said, “That’s not what I was told.” Bates complained about people parking at the entrance to the subdivision to pick up their children from the school bus and how you have to drive around them. She said you have to drive carefully in the subdivision.
Jones said for 26 years there had been no parking there and now they park there. He asked if she was privileged because she sits on the council and she said she wasn’t.
Jones said Bates doesn’t come to the homeowners’ association meetings because she knows they will confront her on the parking. She said when she was HOA president she went to all the meetings but stopped going when she became part of the council.
Mrs. Hudson, who said she has lived at Victoria Commons since the homes were built, said that the car that sits there is a safety risk. “I didn’t know it was yours,” she said to Bates.
Hudson said her son and daughter played sports and graduated from Belleville High School.
“Things are changing in Victoria Commons and it’s very sad,” she said.
Jones said other complaints were trees and pond maintenance. He said he was told the cattails he didn’t like couldn’t be cut down because of state law.
Another woman criticized Voigt for cutting in trying to keep order. Voigt said they are going to look into all these problems and she said, “That’s what they said before.”
Jones said he came to complain about the streets and he said the mayor told him the streets in her subdivision were worse. He said he thought that was inappropriate.
Rutherford said they just did road patching in Victoria Commons and cut trees. He said people should reach out to him with complaints.
Voigt said this is just patching, but the city will be doing significant street work throughout the city with in the next two years. He said the city’s website has a place where people can register complaints.
Jones asked when the new city manager was coming and was told Jason Smith will be in place on Oct. 16.
Variance remarks
Also speaking about problems she was having with the city was Tracy Hill of S. Liberty Street who has been trying to get a variance on a fence for five months. The Board of Zoning Appeals has yet to meet.
She said a four-foot fence is allowed where a six-foot fence is needed to shield her home from the two-story apartment building next door. She said now she has been told she has to pay $542 for a variance hearing, which she objected to.
Hill said she is a contractor and she said other cities do not have rules like this. Voigt said he would be happy to talk to her after the meeting or come over to her house to see the situation. He said he also sits on the BZA and they are working to set up a meeting.
Joannie Laginess thanked Rutherford for fixing the sewer on North Liberty Street quickly.
In other business at the 90-minute meeting, the council:
• Was introduced to Krisy Doe, the new police records clerk;
• Received a sign from Steve Cinnamon marking the 22 years his car show has been at Victory Park;
• Unanimously approved expending $48,395 for updated BS&A cloud software plus less than $1,500 for a laptop and docking for the new city manager, as recommended by Acting City Manager Steve Jones;
• Unanimously approved a resolution granting the ability to change dates for the Board of Review, if needed; and
• Approved accounts payable of $203,395.71 and the following departmental expenditures in excess of $500: to Blue Ribbon Contracting, $16,882 for fire hydrant and valve replacement at fire station; to Carhartt, $1,680.37 for winter coats for the fire department; to Davenport Brothers, $4,650 for steel security door for building exterior; to ESO, $2,662.60 for upgrade of emergency reporting software; and to Spectrum Wireless, $51,931.52 for radios for police department.