09-26-2008, 09:37 PM
My mother, a long time resident of Beach Park, hired a company to tear out her old culvert, and replace it with a new one, and level-then sealcoat her driveway. She opted to do this because the old culvert had heaved and raised up about a foot above the rest of the driveway. As my mother is a blind senior citizen, it was becoming unsafe for her to even go get her mail.
The estimate (from a reputable, local company) was $1,120.00 for all the work. She hired them to do it.
They showed up Monday to tackle the project, and an hour into it, the Beach Park Building inspector showed up and told them they had to get a permit.
The total cost for the trip to Village Hall was $635.00!
$35.00 for the permit, $100.00 for the culvert installation, and $500.00 ROW Cash Bond! According to Laurie at the Village Hall, Beach Park owns the right of way, and the $500.00 is in case it gets screwed up. The money will be refunded after the next board meeting. The $100.00 was to cover the cost of the inspector stopping by (for about 2 seconds) to make sure the culvert wasn't screwed up!
So, my question to "Laurie" was- "If you own my mother's ditch, shouldn't YOU pay to fix the culvert?" No. The Village owns it, but it's up to my mother to maintain it.
So- a job that would have been $1120.00 became $1760.00. Thank God my mother- a blind senior citizen on a fixed income has some financial leeway.
The condescending attitude at Village Hall made me sick.
The estimate (from a reputable, local company) was $1,120.00 for all the work. She hired them to do it.
They showed up Monday to tackle the project, and an hour into it, the Beach Park Building inspector showed up and told them they had to get a permit.
The total cost for the trip to Village Hall was $635.00!
$35.00 for the permit, $100.00 for the culvert installation, and $500.00 ROW Cash Bond! According to Laurie at the Village Hall, Beach Park owns the right of way, and the $500.00 is in case it gets screwed up. The money will be refunded after the next board meeting. The $100.00 was to cover the cost of the inspector stopping by (for about 2 seconds) to make sure the culvert wasn't screwed up!
So, my question to "Laurie" was- "If you own my mother's ditch, shouldn't YOU pay to fix the culvert?" No. The Village owns it, but it's up to my mother to maintain it.
So- a job that would have been $1120.00 became $1760.00. Thank God my mother- a blind senior citizen on a fixed income has some financial leeway.
The condescending attitude at Village Hall made me sick.
