Pioneer Lake asks to handle its own street maintenance

by Nathan Arneal
Published 9/12/18

Street maintenance and storm drains were topics of conversation at the Sept. 4 city council meeting.

Duane Ellermeier of the Pioneer Lake Homeowners Association, which is part of the ground recently annexed by North Bend, asked the council to allow Pioneer Lake to hire and pay for its own road maintenance.

Ellermeier said road maintenance costs about $25 to $30 per lot annually and the homeowners voted to keep the people they currently hire to move snow and road maintenance.

“I don’t know why you’d want to pay for it twice,” councilman Tom Mullally said. “Part of the taxes you’re paying go toward the maintenance. If I were you I’d let it sit for six months and if you don’t like they way we’re doing it, come back and say hey.”

“We have a track record that we’re perfectly happy with,” Ellermeier responded. “We just feel that for no more money that it cost us, that we’d like to know we’re in control.”

City Clerk Theresa Busse reminded Ellermeier that at a previous meeting the city agreed to hire the same people that are currently handling the road maintenance at Pioneer Lake.

“We will take care of it,” Ellermeier said.

Mayor Jeff Kluthe said the city with have its attorney draw up an agreement and wanted to make it clear that Pioneer Lake paying for its own road maintenance would have no bearing on the annexation.

“If you just want to be happier with the people that you have,” Kluthe said, “then I’m all for that.”

In other business, councilman Tom Mullally suggested the storm drains on the east end of Ninth Street, which he estimated were installed in the ‘30s, be replaced.

The drains have a grate over them that easily gets plugged up with leaves, grass and debris causing water to back up on the street.

Mullally suggested installing a curb-style drain, similar to the drains on east Eighth street or on Main Street by the bank and Corner Cafe. A wider mouth without a grate would drain more water faster he said.

Busse wondered if a larger drain without a grate would be a danger to young kids playing in the water. Mullally said the drain could be made so the opening isn’t tall enough for a child to fit. A similar drain on Eighth Street has a single bar across its opening.

Busse said she would look into pricing.

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