Bridge City will get some needed repairs to two manholes that are creating infiltration problems and are damaging the adjacent roadways. The City Council unanimously approved Tuesday awarding a contract to MK Constructors.
City Manager Jerry Jones emphasizes the necessity for the work to be done on both manholes. He termed the problem an emergency situation and expects work to begin Thursday. The project must be completed within 20 days. Jones stated, “We’re kind of in a bind to get these done.” The City Council approved spending $113,550 for MK Constructors to do the repairs to the manholes at Regal Pointe and at Roundbunch and David Street.
LJA Engineering was approved to be the engineering consultants for Bridge City’s 2017-18 Texas Community Development Block Grant. Jones said the $275,000 grant will be used to improve sewer connections for about 180 low income houses in the Bridge City area.
The council heard from three citizens with concerns about their neighborhoods. Jerry Nicks spoke at a previous meeting a month ago during the time for citizens’ comments, but only had three minutes at that time to describe the need for a drainage ditch in the Rose Terrace addition. Nicks wants a drainage ditch between David Street and Blueberry to be dredged to help with drainage in the addition. Jones indicated the city is working to remove three to four inches from that ditch to help with the drainage.
Two ladies expressed problems with how a neighbor’s property was an eye-soar and possible a public health problem. Sue Elam owns rental property on Forrest Drive which is adjacent to a piece of property which the current owner has started to raise various livestock. The property with which Elam has a problem is surrounded by a fence which could be electrified. City Manager Jones told her he would investigate since that would be in violation of Bridge City Ordinances. Alderman Kirk Roccaforte suggested a review of city ordinances may be a topic for a workshop to see if revisions might be appropriate to deal with such situations like Elam has addressed on Forrest Drive.
The final citizen to speak was Karah Saucier about a neighbor of hers on Darby Street who has turned their resident into a collection of garbage. Saucier said the smell is atrocious, rats have been seen in the windows, raccoons have climbed through holes in the attic, and roaches swarm all over the property. The City Council sympathized with Saucier, but added it is difficult to resolve such problems if the resident cleans up their property when ordered to do so. Jones indicated condemnation of the resident is in the works, but apparently the woman who is apparently a garbage hoarder has had previous residents condemned only to move to other locations to repeat her trashy habits.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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