Pawnee City Council members spent time Monday evening discussing a recent claim the city paid on a sewer backup.  The city paid nearly $68,000 to settle the claim by Jerry Graham and Eileen Hines-Graham for a sewage backup last summer at 603 11th Street.
 The city’s insurance company found that the city was liable for the claim for not having proper documentation that the sewer lines had been maintained.  City Clerk Tammy Stephens says Randy Miller of Community Insurance gave the city some suggestions to help avert a similar situation in from occurring in the future.  (play audio  :59)
 Stephens says they’re beginning to look up records when the city last smoke-tested its sewer lines.  She says the recently completed slip-lining project is the beginning of the process of repairing the sewer lines.
 Stephens says Miller told the council that the $68,000 claim was a fairly small amount for a sewer backup.
 In other business Monday night, the Pawnee City Council approved a change order on the wastewater treatment facility that will add nearly $20,000 to the cost of the project.  The cost will be split between the city, the contractor, and the project engineer.
 The council approved the final reading of several updated ordinances presented by the League of Nebraska Municipalities.  The council approved the first reading of a new Snow Emergency Route Ordinance.
 And the council set a public hearing on changes to the one-and-six year street plan for 8:00 p.m. on February 27th.