The City’s press release (read it at www.woodstockil.gov) of August 8, 2007, by Public Works Director John Isbell, includes the following statement, “As this is considered an event of nature, damage claims to homes should be directed to an individual’s homeowners insurance.” If you fall for this one, call me right away; I’ve still got a bridge in New York I’d like to sell you.
This statement followed Mayor Pro Tem Webster’s explanation about a transformer outage and a malfunction of a sanitary sewer lift station near Greenwood and Tappan Streets.
I’ll agree that 6-7” of rain in seven hours is an “event of nature.” Ralph Webster explained what happened at the transformer. The back-up generator did not kick in because its wiring scheme did not recognize the primary generator’s failure. Ralph was candid and clear about exactly what happened. He didn’t pussyfoot around about it. There was no smoke-and-mirrors routine. So the important question is, Was this a wiring plan defect? Did no one anticipate the circumstances under which the primary generator could fail and prevent the back-up from kicking in?
I would urge residents to consider that some of the flooding damage was NOT an “event of nature.” I suspect the City is liable for a not-insignificant amount of damage to some homes. Sure, talk to your insurance claims representative, and you might want to get an opinion from your own attorney.
I’m not an attorney and do not give legal advice. Ask your attorney whether the City is responsible for any part (or all) of your specific loss. If you believe the City is liable, file your claim with the City.
There were plenty of irate homeowners at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. There may be many more at the August 21 City Council meeting.
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5 comments:
Gus:
You need to stop using your gripes against the PD and the WFRD as your platform for all the problems in the City. As much as you gripe about them, they would still come to your aide should you need it, which speaks volumes about our local police and fire/rescue.
99% of the time, all is well with the basements in Woodstock. When we get as much rain as we did last Saturday, 3" in some areas and two days later get almost 5", added to the wet summer we are having, the conditions are right for flooding. There was not any negligence on the City's part. Lightning and rain are acts of nature, not the City.
And as long as we are talking about the City... why don't you contact other communities and see if they would burden themselves with the overtime and overhead costs to pump out people's basements. The City of Woodstock had a number of their employees out to the wee hours to help it's citizens. Also the City has arranged for people to put out their extra garbage and it will be picked up at no cost. They are also distributing clean up kits, provided by the red cross. I don't know what more they can do. Not to mention the Fire Dept. employees who came to the aid of the Citizenry on their time off. I was born and raised in Woodstock and can only remember a few times when the rain came so fast. And yes, I had water in my basement, I do not blame the City, mother nature is the only one to blame.
Get off your high horse and quit encouraging people to sue the City, it will only cost the Citizens of Woodstock more money in an already sue-happy society. The lawyers will be the only ones to get rich.
I think you should find something more constructive to do with your time then tailing, spying, trespassing, photographing and harassing fireman, police officers and the general public. You don't speak for me, you are not my advocate, as a citizen of Woodstock of 50 years. Maybe you should spend more time with your own family and mind your own damn business.
Woodstock is the type of community where people help each other out in bad times. I know this first hand. Quit spending so much time bitching and ask your flooded neighbor if you can help!
To "anonymous" of the above posting: Perhaps you'd like to sign your real name and take responsibility for your comments.
If you think I'm spying and trespassing, have me arrested. I dare you to name one act of trespassing; there has been none. As to photographing the illegally parked WFRD vehicles at the Recreation Center, that's exactly what they are. I intended to address the City Council this week on that issue, but I did not in deference to the horror stories from folks whose water problems have not been solved for years. When the City installs a drain to prevent flooding and protect houses in a certain area and that drain doesn't work, what would you call that?
When a pumping station fails and sewage backs up in basements or other areas of homes, that is NOT an "act of nature." The breach of the berm at Raintree Park was not an act of nature. It was lousy engineering that left a dip in the berm. The retention pond did not overflow. Water flowed through a low spot that should have been higher and level with the top of the rest of the berm. You don't have to be an engineer to figure that one out.
I wish you were right that WPD and WFRD would come to my aid, even though I gripe about them. It's their j-o-b, for which they are well-paid, and that's the reason they would come to my aid. Any other decision, or delay, is called dereliction of duty. You'll notice the only ones about whom I gripe are the ones whose actions (or inactions) warrant griping.
If the City of Woodstock did not believe it had some financial responsibility as a result of the flooding, it would not be providing city-wide pick-up service of water-damaged property.
Name one fireman whom I have photographed. Go on, name one. There isn't one. The fire trucks in the no-parking zone? Yes, I have documented their illegal parking. There is not one fireman in any of the pictures. Name one police officer I have harassed. There isn't one. If there were, my name would be in the Police Blotter in the newspaper.
You know, you make a pretty serious allegation. If you'll identify yourself, you might just find yourself on the wrong end of a libel suit.
Gus,
You make mountains out of mole-hills. I am not talking about your constant griping, I am talking about your life.
Any person can sit there and complain and point out what is wrong; we need people that provide solutions.
Only you would see the city's extra effort to ". . . be providing city-wide pick-up service of water-damaged property" as evidence of culpability. If they had done nothing, you would blame them for not responding to trash pile ups.
As for 'anonymous' being anonymous, you assure others to protect their identity; but if YOU are the gripe they must publish their name. That is contrary.
You will always be unhappy, period. Why don't you try your own "hypnotherapy" (http://www.gusphilpott.com/) and suggest that bug out of your arse.
To conclude, let the Mountains do their jobs, Mr. Mole-hill.
Hey, who says I'm unhappy? You? "Fixin' what's broke" is fun. Of course, some people don't like it, because they might be part of the problem. Anyway, thanks for reading. Spread the word around. Anyone can read The Woodstock Advocate. It's free. I was asked last week whether I'm ever afraid when I take on big issues and big people. No way!
It's nice to have your own blog and always get in the last word. Something comes to mind though about arguing on the internet being similar to running in the special olympics
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