Critical Neighborhood Flooding Update: Board of Public Works Meeting 2-5-24

An open letter from Frank and Sharon Chase

To: City Officials
Date: February 5, 2024

Dear Elected and Appointed City Officials:

These “vital details”(substance vs. talking points) will help you better understand our focused efforts to correct the ongoing flooding in our neighborhoods. The neglect and mismanagement we have uncovered has been occurring in public view for decades. No one has actively stepped up until now to address this infrastructure issue. We are not “radically naive”. City officials have chosen to ignore the required storm-sewer upgrades. The effects of this behavior is the ongoing, destructive flooding in our neighborhoods.

We purchased 24 Roxbury Road in 1973 with a healthy, dry basement and a flood free property. Our property is not the same today. Our neighborhood is not the same today. We are not in a flood zone. As we all know, our weather is more severe and climate conditions have changed.

As our City Council Majority Leader John McNamara noted, we must place our overdue storm-sewer system upgrades in our critical neighborhoods at the top of the capital improvement list. The reluctance of our city officials to complete the required storm-sewer upgrades is unacceptable…These stand alone infrastructure projects have been “kicked down the road for the last six fiscal years”.

The unhealthy contaminants in the flooding storm water include bacteria, animal fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc. As noted in the descriptions used by city officials “sanitary sewer back-ups and breaks” should be concerning to all of us, especially city officials. We will be sampling and testing the flooding water in our neighborhood determining the possible presence of human fecal matter. We have a lab on-call, ready to go.

Our responsibility as concerned citizens and as victims is to “shine a bright light” on our city government. We will continue to do this until our storm-sewer systems are upgraded properly. We have invited democrat and republican city officials into our home, listening and hoping for a plan. There appears to be some progress with the engineering planning. Thus far, our city officials have refused to allocate the required funding.

What is the status of the engineering updates for the existing 10 year old Allen St. Basin plan?

What is the status of the engineering plans for the Overlook-McKinley Project?

What is the status of the Hampton-Eton-Newbury-Roxbury-Sub-Basin Inspection-Reassessment? 3rd request.

Director’s Carilli, P.E. and Moriarty, P.E., Cardinal Engineering and Weston-Sampson Engineers have all identified the Allen St. Basin as an outdated, undersized storm-sewer system with deteriorating clay mains. “The state of the infrastructure is already at a crisis level”.

Taddonino Engineering reports that the “Surface flood water needs to be controlled in order to stop the further progression of movement in our foundation at 24 Roxbury Road. The long term effects can be structurally compromising to our foundation and structure above”. This engineering report is in our hand-out along with copies of Director Carilli’s letters sent to my neighbor 30 years ago and copies of my updated narrative.

Let’s not overlook the creative financing highlighted in our 2022 audit, known as “budget relief”, while taxpayer debt reached $325M. Where is the 2023 audit which is overdue? Finally, “Where is the money?”. Meanwhile, our “critical neighborhoods” continue to flood, 6 times in 2023. Our city officials are forcing us to live with an imminent and an undeniable threat each day!

We will press for “our overdue fair share” of funding to upgrade our storm-sewer systems. Our property is the “bulls eye” for the flooding water which continues to threaten our home. Our engineer’s report confirms the “cause and effect”. All of our engineers confirm our valid “sense of urgency”.

THE CAUSE IS UNDENIABLE…
THE EFFECTS WILL BE CATASTROPHIC IF THE FLOODING IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE!

Read our handouts…

Thank you.
Frank and Sharon Chase

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More vital details for you to know and to reference. Stay informed…

This updated record is being shared regarding the status of our neighborhood’s storm-sewage systems and city-state responses. Our concerns need to be given the highest priority. Our quality of life is suffering and our homes have devalued by 15%. When the flooding water recedes, we are forgotten by our city officials. Our “critical neighborhoods” are not in “flood zones”.

Back in the mid 90’s, PW Director Joe Carilli wrote to my neighbor that our city engineers have completed their technical assessment of the Allen St. Basin and the Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin, concluding that both basins require storm-sewer upgrades. For the skeptical folks these letters are attached for your convenience.

Since this technical assessment, city officials have allowed the Allen-Hampton-Eton and the Overlook-McKinley storm-sewer systems to deteriorate further. Meanwhile, development increased in and around our “critical neighborhoods” placing more stress on these compromised systems.

Along the way, our climate has changed. We are experiencing more severe weather with intense rainfall flooding our “critical neighborhoods” because our storm-sewer systems are outdated and undersized with deteriorating clay mains. During 2023, our “critical neighborhoods” flooded six times! Meanwhile, over the years our city officials have paid out thousands of dollars, reimbursing our residents for their legitimate flooding damage claims because of our compromised storm-sewer systems.

Our city officials are obligated to keep us safe from circumstances within their control. Therefore, without fully functioning underground storm-sewer systems, our “critical neighborhoods” will continue to flood, placing all of us in harm’s way. In 2023, PW Director Moriarty, P.E. and PW Board Chairman Saccente toured our neighborhood, property and basement. Director Moriarty confirmed for us what Director Carilli wrote to my neighbor 30 years ago, our storm-sewer systems require long overdue upgrades.

Intense rainfall overwhelms our compromised storm-sewer systems. Our water tables rise and the excessive flooding storm water infiltration and soil saturation creates underground water pressure (hydrostatic pressure) which threatens our foundations and structures. Factor in the resulting soil erosion, settling and shifting, our foundations and structures are in harm’s way.

My neighbors and I are responsible homeowners. We have spent thousands of dollars installing water infiltration drainage systems and mitigation devices in and around our properties…We are hoping to prevent further damage from the flooding water. The flooding storm water and the soil related complications are beyond our control because of our compromised storm-sewer systems.

Our recent credentialed engineer’s “Structural Inspection Report” confirms all of this regarding the conditions at 24 Roxbury Road. Engineer Taddonio reports: “The area around the house has a well documented history of severe flooding during heavy rain events. The defects and movement seen in the foundation is believed to be the direct result of this flowing flood water. There are no other obvious causes for the defects seen. The fact that the right wall has the tilting and other walls do not, coincide with the flowing water along the right wall. The surface flood water needs to be controlled in order to stop the further progression of movement in the foundation. The long term effects can be structurally compromising to the foundation and structure above.” The full report is attached for your convenience.

From 2014 to 2022, city officials have requested funding assistance from the state for the Allen St. Project and the Overlook-McKinley Drainage Repairs. Also, in 2022 and 2023, city officials have applied for $13.9M in grants for the Allen St. Project. It seems that our city officials know the approximate final cost for the Allen St. Project; $13.9M. Here are the reasons-descriptions given for the required upgrades:

• The Allen St. chronic issues include flooding due to storm-sewer failures, sanitary sewer back-ups and breaks due to insufficient capacity and the system’s age. The storm-sewer upgrades on Allen St. are the most pressing as storm drains have been backing up on a regular basis.
• The Overlook-McKinley Drainage Repairs include improving the hydraulic alignment of the pipes and the total replacement of an undersized pipe.
• The Allen St. storm and sanitary improvements are needed to correct periodic back-ups and roadway flooding in the area of Stewart St. and to replace these undersized and aging systems. Flooding and sewer back flow conditions occur on Allen St. and the surrounding streets; Hampton, Eton, Newbury and Roxbury. The surrounding neighborhoods receive flooding waters from Allen St. Weston-Sampson Engineers noted: “The state of the infrastructure is already at a crisis level”.

We are grateful that our city officials have made specific funding requests over the past 10 years for storm-sewer upgrades. Unfortunately, to date, these efforts have been unsuccessful. State Officials report that they have delivered a huge surplus of funds to New Britain which were used for other projects. The state allocates funds to municipalities to do the projects that the mayor and council prioritize. Our required storm-sewer upgrades have NOT been prioritized by the mayor and council, therefore, our “critical neighborhoods” continue to flood! State Officials report that there are no scheduled distributions from the FEMA-DOT grant programs at this time.

We pay our taxes for the benefit of ALL residents. When we ask for our fair share to upgrade our vital infrastructure systems, we are ignored because our city officials have a “re-election focused fiscal agenda”, known as “budget relief” which limits bonding for our critical projects. Surprise us with a successful bonding effort. Otherwise, city money must be allocated for these upgrades:

Available City Money: Where is the money?

• There is city money, $22M sitting on the sidelines. What is the status of this money?
• In 2023, per the City Council’s unanimous vote with Stewart’s signature, $4M was transferred from the General Fund to the PW Account for the Allen St. Project #2 Oak to Beacon. What is the status of this money?
• In 2023 Moriarty identified an additional $3M in the PW Account that can be used for the Allen St. Project upgrades. What is the status of this money?
• In 2023, Stewart transferred $13M from the ARPA Funds to the NB FLUSH account to upgrade storm-sewer systems. What is the status of this money?
• In 2023 Stewart transferred $2M from the ARPA Funds to the NB FLUSH account for the Overlook-McKinley Stormwater Upgrades. What is the status of this money? !

The evidence and facts are revealing. We cannot continue to ignore these vital infrastructure upgrades. Our storm-sewer systems are at “crisis levels” per the engineers. Our elected-appointed city officials must prioritize-plan-fund-construct to completion these upgrades. We are told that the planning is underway. These storm-sewer upgrades require immediate construction once the planning is complete and the funding is allocated.

The mayor reports, “Climate change is here, Be prepared!”…My neighbors and I are prepared, the “City is not”.

The mayor reports that the good news is: It will happen. The bad news is: The time frame is unknown…Possibly 2 years for planning and funding and 1-2 years for construction. We have been waiting for 30 years…10 years of this wait has been under the leadership of the present mayor. Our “critical neighborhoods” will continue to flood during this anticipated 3-4 year time frame. The storm water flooding-infiltration and the resulting soil erosion, settling and shifting will continue, placing our foundations and structures in harm’s way. Our affected constituents are demanding expedited time lines with herculean efforts by all city officials!

Bottomline… The funding continues to be the obstacle in our path. The reality is simple; the city has funding and funding sources to upgrade Allen-Hampton-Eton-Newbury-Roxbury-Overlook-McKinley. Unfortunately, city officials have failed to allocate existing money, have failed to obtain new funding and have prioritized available funds for other HIGHER profile projects! The shell game continues while our quality of life suffers and our properties are at risk.

No more delay, deny, deflect, distract, distort tactics! What is your plan with expedited, specific time lines for the Allen-Hampton-Eton-Newbury-Roxbury Project and the Overlook-McKinley Project?

Thank you.
Frank and Sharon Chase