And of course our 4th Ward Council reps weren’t at the Lawton Q & A session either. Surprise.

Not true. The 5th paragraph notes the construction date cutoff for houses affected. I think the program also doesn’t apply to much older houses that don’t have footing drains, but the article doesn’t address that.

“I love arrogance too.”

Apparently so. “Physician, heal thyself.”

Everyone HAS to get a sump pump because under the “Bolt” decision it is regarded as a benefit so everyone needs to benefit if some do. As for the downspout disconnect, even if you have never been flooded, your home could be contributing to flooding downstream.

I don’t know any other way this could have been done.

The sidewalk program worked well for us too. We replaced three slabs.

Overall it is nice to see elderly neighbors out walking without all the trip hazards. Cities can’t possibly afford to replace all the sidewalks. The way this was done seems like the most equitable. Why should someone who has taken care of their sidewalk, replaced slabs as needed over the years, pay for those who have never had work done and need them all replaced? Most of those places are student rentals anyway. Let the landlords pay.

“I am not going to have a sump installed in my totally dry, completely used/lived in walk-out basement – there is no place for it, and I won’t allow it.”

I don’t think you understand Jeff. EVERY home in town is getting a sump pump, YOU are paying for it, either with the wasted tax dollars or a personal bill from a contractor and it doesn’t matter if your basement is dry or you’ve never had problems. And the price tag is an estimated $100 Million before it’s over.

Maybe you can submit a grant proposal, or call up the Ann Art Art Commission and have a water garden somehow included as part of your project and have an ‘artist’ come up with something that will bring in tourists.

In addition, the city cut into our approach but did not feather the street surface into it, so now the approach is 2″ lower than the street, so that makes for a nice puddle/ice rink every time it rains/snows. It seems to be random, they did some and not others? I guess what I am saying is don’t believe it when you are told they will work with you. I hope the disconnect program never makes it to our side of town… I am not going to have a sump installed in my totally dry, completely used/lived in walk-out basement – there is no place for it, and I won’t allow it.

“First, it is implied that only the five contractors approved by the city may be used. On a recent job I had bid, one of these contractors was 50% higher than the next high bid.

Second, the city has essentially sole sourced about $100 million in contracts to five contractors. Why? Am I the only one that thinks this is improper?”

Would $100 Million dollars have allowed a city wide upgrade to the system? And TWO Ann Arbor contractors were ‘approved’? This city council apparently cares very little about city small businesses.

“The resident wasn’t satisfied: “My point is that I live in Ann Arbor, I pay taxes in Ann Arbor, and I would like to see a contractor in Ann Arbor get the money.””

Don’t hold your breath. Once again, the city has bungled this process.

“Contractors aren’t going to go to the flower store,” he said, “but they’ll work with you.”

I love arrogance too.

“But unlike the sidewalk replacement, which homeowners must pay for, the city is reimbursing costs of the drain disconnect – at least for now.”

So the bill will ‘come due’ at some point in the future, homeowners might great stuck with the cost and the current council members and city officials will be long gone. Got it.

Glenn, do you have any specific suggestions as to how this program might be improved?

Vin, do you have any insight into why other states allow onsite discharge? Is it a leglislative difference at the state level or the local?

For all of the reasons above, I have followed this process closely. Our neigborhood was one of the first to go through the disconnect program and since then, our basements have been dry despite some big storms that would have flooded us in the past. It worked! Kudos to Mayor Sheldon and the residents committee that worked on this.

The contractors may even install the y-section and check valves needed as part of the installation they are doing?