LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Tom Vargo

  • [Video Interview] City Hall: Is the collapsed sewer a public or homeowner problem?

    [Video Interview] City Hall: Is the collapsed sewer a public or homeowner problem?

    Claire Beseler – Loveland Magazine Writer

    by Claire Beseler

    Loveland, Ohio – Homeowners in Glen Lake subdivision, Tom Vargo, and Mack Fey continue to voice the problem of a collapsing storm drain between their homes. Out of seven storm drains in the subdivision, two are labeled as ‘private’, the one landing in between Vargo and Fey’s houses being one of them.

    Vargo maintains that the City keeps the other five in working order.

    This particular storm drain catches runoff water from about 8-10 houses in the immediate neighborhood. Since March, the two have been communicating with the City of Loveland to understand why it is private and steps to fix it.

    One temporary solution would be to add an insert to prevent the ground from caving in which would end up costing Fey and Vargo $20,000 of their own money for a 114 feet worth of storm drain from their backyard to the street. Vargo and Fey don’t believe they should shell out that kind of money now when in the past City Hall had stepped up to the plate and admitted responsibility. Twice under previous administrations, the public works department has made repairs.

    In terms of what they would like to see happen, Vargo commented, “I would say first and foremost, I would like to get [the collapsing storm drain] fixed. I’m just afraid that somebody’s going to get hurt. Mack has grandchildren, I have grandchildren, they do come out and run around, now, we watch them, but, still know you can’t watch them every second they’re out here, so I would like to get it fixed but I really think… we need to talk. We need to figure out why the City is not fixing the sinkhole. Just because it’s private? Is that the City’s only claim to fame here?”

    After months of contacting the City Hall, Vargo and Fey still don’t have the answers they are looking for. City Manager Dave Kennedy told the homeowners he would visit, even suggesting it and would bring the City engineer with him. The visit never happened and now, the only communication Vargo and Fey have received is from the City’s attorney.

    Loveland Magazine emailed City Manager Dave Kennedy when we published Tom Vargo’s Guest Column on June 27 and received no response. (Old storm sewer causes sink holes in local neighborhood)

  • Old storm sewer causes sink holes in local neighborhood

    Old storm sewer causes sink holes in local neighborhood

    by Tom Vargo

    Dear Loveland Magazine Reader,

    Let me start by saying my family and I have been residents of Loveland for over 25 years. Our children have gone through and graduated from the Loveland School System. Of all the areas we looked at when we moved here from Columbus, we felt at home in Loveland. Until recently.

    There is a storm sewer line that runs between mine and my neighbor’s house. The line sits equally on both of our properties.  This storm sewer takes the rainwater from a great many homes around us and runs it out to the main sewer in the street.

    Over the years, the storm sewer has come apart and has started to cause a large sinkhole between the 2 houses. 

    Not only is this an eyesore but it is extremely dangerous.

    Now we have 2 additional sinkholes starting on the sewer line. We have had a company come out and run a camera through the line and we can see where the pipe has come apart and water is leaking through.

    My neighbor has reached out to the City of Loveland and had some communications with City Manager Dave Kennedy about this issue.  During a phone call, Mr. Kennedy agreed with my neighbor that we have a problem and the city should look into the issue. In fact, Mr. Kennedy suggested we meet and discuss the problem in person.

    Under a prior City Administration when my neighbor called and complained about the other sinkholes appearing in his yard, the City sent out a crew to fill in the holes. So you see, this is not our first time reaching out to them on this matter.

    My neighbor did receive an email back from Mr. Kennedy stating that since the storm sewer is on a “Private Easement” the repair is not the responsibility of the City of Loveland. 

    This property was surveyed way before we moved in. So we had no input into the private vs public easement classification. Nor would we know the difference. We are not surveyors or lawyers. 

    There are seven other storm sewers in our subdivision and only two are private. The other five are public and the city takes care of them.

    This is my opinion is an outrage. How can some surveyor 30-40 years ago arbitrarily pick a description and the City let it stand? Do not the City’s past repairs indicate that they felt the problem belonged to them in the first place?

    When we have reached out to Mr. Kennedy to meet and discuss, we have not received a response back. Again this is an outrage.

    To anyone living currently in Loveland and anyone planning on moving to Loveland, I say take a good hard look at your decision.  The city government has no problem taking your tax dollars but when you need their help, they are nowhere to be found. 

    It makes you wonder why anyone would want to live here in the first place.