This story originally appeared in the May 12 issue of the Community Voice. For your own subscription, call 270-384-9454
The city of Columbia issued a press release last week reporting that the city has received several questions about streets following recent utility work.
The release said the city addressed the concerns and submitted a list of streets that are in need of repair to the utility district. It recommended people call the utility district, county judge or magistrates with questions.
Lenny Stone, general manager of the Columbia Adair Utilities District, said during an interview this week he is fully aware of the needed road repair. The district has water and sewer projects underway, and many of the old lines being replaced were located in the center of those streets.
“Here is the deal,” said Stone. “The projects are not done. I repeat, not done.”
Stone said he understands the delays caused by construction can be frustrating, but he questions the timing of the complaint from the city, which came months into the projects. The lines being replaced once belonged to the city. The utility district took ownership of the city’s water and sewer systems in 2010.
“I have been told the mayor and the city council are getting calls about other streets. Let me tell you some- thing, the water district isn’t getting any calls. Is it political? I don’t know,” he said.
The streets submitted to the water district by the city are Bomar Heights, Minor Lane, Pyles Court, W. Frazier Avenue, Miller Avenue, Sexton Dr., Elm Drive, Sunset Drive, Gaston Ave., and Scott, Pine Tree, Akin, Yates, Grissom, Tutt, Loy, Willis, Hurt, Guardian, Burkesville, Baker, Lindsey Wilson, Allen, Guthrie, Heskamp, Hayes, and Jamestown streets.
“The projects are not done, so I can’t say the yards aren’t cleaned up good enough or the blacktopping is not done good enough, because both projects are not complete,” Stone said. “Once they get them completed, then we will deal with it. Right now, we still have things to do.”
When they get inside the street they are finding the lines in poor condition, Stone said.
“Some of these lines are asbestos and some of them are cast iron, and the biggest part of these lines are right in the middle of the street,” Stone said. “We are taking them out of the street and putting them in the edge of the grass.
“We are doing everything right, and we’ve never had an issue about this until the last three weeks. The sewer and the water projects are the same, we’re moving, upgrading and improving lines.”
Stone said he hopes local citizens will have patience until the work can be completed.
“The projects have been going for six months, but the thing is these lines have been in these roads for years and years and years,” he said. “The water district took over all this stuff and we’re trying to be the better people…It takes a little bit of time.”
The crews seem to be making good progress. Stone said he is pleased.
“Covid slows everything down, makes it hard to get stuff,” he said. “I am tickled to death with the progress made. Look at these water lines, look at these sewer lines. They are no longer in the middle of the street. Now, if there is an issue, we can come in and take care of them.
“I would tell people, listen, we’re upgrading you all to a better service,” Stone said. “We will have it done in the next three or four months.”
By Scott Wilson
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