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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, February 24, 2014 <br /> Page 22 <br /> Councilmember Laliberte opined that it wasn't just compensating their usage, but <br /> the additional needed to keep the line open. Councilmember Laliberte opined that <br /> the City needed to mail specific neighborhoods, not just use the website, to ensure <br /> information got to all residents, and using all means necessary and other media <br /> sources to alert people. Councilmember Laliberte advised that she shared liability <br /> and precedent concerns expressed by her colleagues; noting that even with this <br /> summer's storms, tree removal on private property required residents to get those <br /> trees to the curb for removal or perform the work themselves to avoid liability is- <br /> sues. <br /> At the request of Mayor Roe on a consensus of the City Council to address this is- <br /> sue, Councilmember Etten opined that the City needed to act now to get infor- <br /> mation to residents in target zones, as the responsible and wise thing to do, since <br /> the City had available information and could be proactive and act as quickly as <br /> possible. <br /> On another concern mentioned by Mr. Schwartz, Councilmember Etten noted a <br /> phone call he'd received last week from a family with one of those plastic water <br /> line hook-ups, and their situation of not being able to live in their home over the <br /> next month. In that extreme circumstance, Councilmember Etten questioned what <br /> they needed to do and who was ultimately going to pay. Councilmember Etten <br /> noted that they were concerned, and the potential precedent if the City paid for <br /> their hotel for 4-6 weeks versus them going to their insurance company for a solu- <br /> tion. Councilmember Etten opined that a decision needed to be finalized sooner <br /> versus later; with the first responsibility to attempt thawing with the City's hot <br /> water system, and if unsuccessful, the City could provide contact information for <br /> private firms to assist homeowners to take things to the next level; but clarifying <br /> that the property owner was responsible for all remaining issues. <br /> Councilmember Laliberte agreed with Councilmember Etten, that a decision <br /> needed to be made tonight and complete the discussion tonight in order to com- <br /> municate the full story and expectations of what the City was willing to do and <br /> what it would not do; and the measures that should be taken by a homeowner in <br /> working with their insurance companies. <br /> Mayor Roe opined that part of that solution is "why" as indicated by City Code so <br /> residents didn't feel the City Council had simply made a spur of the moment deci- <br /> sion. <br /> Councilmember McGehee opined that the important information was the 35 de- <br /> gree threshold identified by Mr. Schwartz that she had not been familiar with; and <br /> the need to get that information out to avoid further issues. Before proceeding too <br /> far however, Councilmember McGehee expressed her preference to know what a <br /> typical homeowner's insurance policy did or did not cover; opining that until in- <br />