CALDWELL, Idaho — A Caldwell resident frustrated enough to write a letter inviting a reporter to her neighborhood says a city sewer line project has turned daily life into a "nightmare."
WATCH | Caldwell sewer project drags on, neighbors demand answers—
Jo Gutschmidt lives near downtown Caldwell, where the city has been working since October to shut down a lift pump near 21st Avenue. She said the portion of the project running through her property was supposed to wrap up in 30 days, but it has stretched on for months.
"It's been hard for us to live like this," Gutschmidt said.
Standing in the neighborhood, the disruption is visible. The road is uneven, construction equipment lines the street, and an open manhole sits in the middle of a private driveway.
Gutschmidt said the city has not kept residents informed.
"About how it's going, what's happening, nothing," Gutschmidt said.
Her next-door neighbor, Ron Manker, said he feels overlooked.
"We don't matter here in the community, I feel, in this part of town," Manker said.
About a year ago, Manker sold an easement to the city for $23,000, according to city records, and he said what followed was not part of the agreement.
"Nobody talked to us about planning where to put that manhole. Right now it's in the center of my driveway to the back part of my property. As you can see, it still has opened up, and they've been trying to get it pumped," Manker said.
Idaho News 6 obtained the original easement plans and mapped the project against the current construction site. The documents are not entirely clear, but Manker says a manhole was never part of the agreement. The city has not responded to that claim.
Nearby, another neighbor says the project has also affected his ability to sell his home. John Glanzman says his property, which sits on more than 1.5 acres, has been on the market for five and a half months, and that interested buyers have backed out because of the construction.
"We have a hidden gem here. I mean, how many people have an acre and 3/4 in downtown Caldwell right next to the freeway, walking distance to the rodeo grounds, walking distance downtown and everything, and we bought it that way," Manker said.
Idaho News 6 reached out to the city for comment but has not yet received a response.
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