City promised maintenance to Sixth Street Ditch years ago

To the Editor,

     The city is talking about assessing property owners along the Sixth Street Ditch for improvements.

     I have lived in my house since 1963. There were never problems until the Seventh Street storm sewer and other developments were piped into it. Plus, people have thrown cement and other debris into it.

     Shouldn’t all property owners who use it pay for improvements?

     I received the documents below in 1999 when the culvert was installed. They show the city was going to maintain the ditch. The easement was never signed because there wasn’t room between my barn and the street for equipment to get through. I gave permission for the city to get to the ditch on the other side of the barn.

     I’ve asked the city for years to fix the curb and gutter and ground that sunk in by the culvert, but it hasn’t been fixed yet.

John “Bud” Coyle

Monticello, Iowa