NewsLocal News

Actions

Residents push Woods Cross City to own up to home flooding, fix damages

Posted at 9:34 PM, Apr 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-03 23:34:13-04

WOODS CROSS, Utah - Two dozen angry homeowners whose homes were flooded showed up to Tuesday night’s Woods Cross City Council Meeting demanding answers.

Fortunately for them, most of the city’s mayor addressed many of their questions before they could even ask them.

“I feel like he did a great job,” said Greg Steed, a homeowner whose home has thousands of damage. “I feel very optimistic that the city will step up and help us.”

That’s a dramatic shift in opinion from just one hour before when Steed was preparing to walk in.

“I hope they correct that horrible diocesan and take care of their neighbors,” he said.

The problem started in late February when a city main water line broke causing water and sewage to back up in pipes and go into the basements of two dozen homes.

“We were told explicitly that we wouldn’t have to pay for that,” Steed said.

Residents told Fox 13 that the City told them the city’s insurance company would take care of the problem, only to find out last week, that was not the case.

“Thanks to them, I’m now out $10,000 for something I didn’t authorize," Steed said.

At Tuesday’s meeting, City Mayor Rick Earnshaw spoke up.

“That’s not who we are,” he choked up a bit while speaking. “The right thing to do is to work with each one of you.”

The mayor said they will work with each resident’s insurance company, plus take $5,000 from the city’s insurance to pay for it. Whatever price tag is left will likely be paid by passing a city ordinance to increase water taxes to pay for the damage.

“I felt like it went very well,” Steed said with a smile.

“I’m somewhat helpful, but talk is cheap,” said another skeptical resident.

Residents say they are still considering some sort of lawsuit but are willing to see how quickly the city can figure out how to reimburse them first.