Claim Response, Woerdehoff, JBARRY A. LINDAHL~
CORPORATION COUNSEL,
C~BUQUE
MEMO
To:
DATE:
RE:
Claimant
John Woerdehoff
Mayor Terrance M. Duggan and
Members of the City Council
July 17, 2001
Claim by John Woerdehoff
Date of Claim
6/29/01
Date of Loss
6/15/01
Nature of Claim
Property Damage
This is a claim in which the claimant states that a blocked sewer line caused sewage and
water to back-up into his basement.
According to the report of John Klostermann, Street/Sewer Maintenance Supervisor, a
crew was dispatched on June 15, 2001, to clean the line that services the claimant's
house. Service was restored in a timely manner. Because there had been no prior history
of problems with this line, Mr. Klostermann recommends that the claim be denied based
on lack of prior knowledge.
The Legal Department concurs with this recommendation.
BAL/jm
Attachment
Cc: John Klostermann, Street/Sewer Maintenance Supervisor
John Woerdehoff
196 DUBUQUE BUILDING 700 LOCUST STREET DUBUQUE, IA 52001-6824
TELEPHONE (563) 583-4113 / FAX (563) 583-1040 / EMAIL BALESQ(~MWCI.NET
(319) 5894252 FAX
July 13, 2001
Barry Lindahl
Corporation Council
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52004-4864
Dear Barry:
This letter will respond to the claim filed by Mr. John Woerdehoff.
Our records show that we were' notified on June 15th of a possible problem with the
sewer line that serves Mr. Woerdehoffs home. When the crew arrived they found that
our line was plugged. The crew cleaned the line and service was restored in a timely
manner. The crew was not able to identify the cause of the cloggage.
I have reviewed our records and they show that we do not have a history of problems
with thiS line. Our records also show that this line was last cleaned in October of 2000
as part of our sanitary sewer maintenance program.
It is therefore my recommendation to deny this claim based on that lack of any prior
knowledge.
If you need any additional information concerning this claim, please Contact me.
Sincerely,
Klostermann
Street/Sewer Maintenance Supervisor
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork