(a) Council finds and determines that it is necessary and in the public interest for the City to participate and share in the expense of improving certain single or two-family properties located in the City by installing backwater valves in the sanitary sewer connections on such properties.
(b) The City will pay 60% of the cost of such improvement, not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per property, or a total amount of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) per calendar year, to alleviate the problem of flooding in as many properties as the funds will cover, provided hereinafter that Council will appropriate funds for such purpose after estimates of cost and applications for such assistance have been filed with the Director of Finance and the City Engineer.
(c) The Mayor, the Director of Finance and the City Engineer are hereby authorized and directed to plan and effectuate a program to accomplish such improvements in substantially the following manner:
(1) At the beginning of each year, the City Engineer will request qualification statements from plumbing companies and sewer installers. These statements will be kept on file and made available to residents applying for backwater valves. Plumbing companies and sewer installers who are awarded contracts to install backwater valves will be required to obtain the proper registration certificates and permits required by the Building Commissioner.
(2) The owner of each such property must apply in writing to the City Engineer for such assistance.
(3) The City Engineer will investigate each property for which application for assistance has been made to determine that flooding conditions and damage involved are not due from the results of improper connections made by the present owner or blocked sewers on the applicant's property, and would be benefited by such improvements. After the Engineer confirms the need for a backwater valve, the homeowner must obtain two estimates of cost to perform the work.
(4) The applicant's cost estimates and the City Engineer's approval will be submitted to the Finance Director, who shall document each application for City financial assistance based upon the availability of appropriated funds.
(5) If funds are available, the Finance Director will notify the homeowner, the City Engineer, and the Building Commissioner in writing that the backwater valve can be installed per the approvals of the City Engineer and the Building Commissioner.
(6) Upon completion of the work and approval from the Building Department that the backwater valve was properly installed, the homeowner may submit a bill and a statement agreeing to relieve the City of any liability in connection with said improvement program.
(7) Upon receiving the bill, a release statement and approval from the City Engineer, the Finance Director will reimburse the homeowner 60% of the bill, or one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), whichever is less.
(Ord. 2000-156. Passed 1-17-01; Ord. 2010-33. Passed 4-7-10.)