First of all, the darling little cat you saw yesterday was Sigh. S/he looks siamese, doesn't s/he? Sigh is the smallest kitten.
This is Gaza. I did not see her today, but I saw the kittens. They are exceedingly cautious when their mother is absent.
We found out why it had not been submitted to their insurance. Their own lawyer asked that question. Answer: very high deductible.
They were unaware that we'd hired a guy with a camera, and it was quite obvious that it hadn't occurred to them that we have access to the old line through our basement. They said, "We haven't seen that bill."
I pointed out that after not getting any kind of response out of them up to that point, we felt that it was a waste of time to bother sending anything more to them. At that point, we decided we would have to get a lawyer, and I said, "We are taxpayers. Yet for seven months, you have completely ignored us."
In short, the city manager tried to say that this was a civil issue between the neighbor and ourselves, since it was their demolition that resulted in the capped line. Our lawyer immediately fired back disputing that. He pointed out that they could not have gotten the demolition permit without capping the line, and that it was a city employee who told the excavator what line to cap.
They said they would consider it.
The end.
Feh. He'll think about it. I think that means he hopes you'll go away.
ReplyDeleteWell, what is different now is that the lawyers are involved.
DeleteThey didn't expect you to be so prepared. Jerks!
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what they expected.
DeleteI admire your self control. I would probably be in handcuffs.
ReplyDeleteThey would have loved that. But no. I'm not going to give them any cause to feel justified in treating us badly.
DeleteOn and on we go.
ReplyDeleteAnd so we do.
DeleteHang in there because you are right.
ReplyDeleteRight does not always equal justice, unfortunately.
DeleteTake a brave, fiesty cat with you to the next meeting. Jeepers, how slow can they go? Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteLOL. Now that's a funny thought.
DeleteThe unfairness is astonishing, not even bothering to properly prepare, deliberately dragging it on
ReplyDeleteThere are other examples, but it is plain to see that our public servants do not serve their public.
DeleteGrrr... it makes your blood boil....
ReplyDeleteWhat made my blood boil was simply being ignored. The dead silence was infuriating. If we received a bill from the city, ignoring it would not have been an option. They would have sent the constables. They would have charged interest. In the end, they would have seized and sold our property.
DeleteIt reminds me in far too many ways of the protracted battles we used to have to get the appropriate funding to which the disabled youngsters that I worked with were entitled. I guess bureaucracy is the same all over the world.
ReplyDeleteI fear you are right, John.
DeleteBoy are they wriggling...just hope you can get the cap on them!
ReplyDeleteIt seems so obvious, but still they try to evade their obvious responsibility
It was very interesting because I never noticed that the city manager has a slight stammer.
DeleteThis is why we have to hire lawyers. They are the legal voice of reason. It's sad it's gotten to this. The stall and acting dumb are an act, and your lawyer will address that. Sometimes all you need is legal pressure. I've seen insurance companies stall in the hopes that people just give up. Methinks they don't know you and Tim very well!
ReplyDeleteWe really cannot afford to just drop it.
DeleteThere are words for people like that. Not very polite words...
ReplyDeleteOh believe me, we've thought them. Sometimes we've said them.
DeleteYou have wrong-footed them and heads will roll, though not yours.
ReplyDeleteI doubt very much that heads will roll. This man was hand picked by the mayor for his position.
DeleteIt sounds like the city's lawyer is setting things up for the proverbial "soft landing" where both sides can come to some sort of compromised agreement.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased with the way our lawyer immediately snapped back to refute the claim that this was a civil matter between two neighbors.
DeleteNot the end, at all. You need to paid legal costs too, now.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't the end.
DeleteI'm glad you and Tim are determined to see it through. Don't give up! I'm glad you have a good lawyer and, as Andrew mentions, he should add his charges to the city's payout to you!
ReplyDeleteWhen you sue for something like this, your legal fees are not refundable. Which is aggravating.
DeleteWell, at least you are on the path to a resolution. May it go your way.
ReplyDeleteWould be nice.
DeleteI hope the city gives you a good agreement and it sounds like it should go in your favor. Love seeing the photos of the cat.
ReplyDeleteYou have Lucy. You have Ms Frizzle. Don't you want a kitty? A sweet little kitty?
DeleteI am so glad you changed your blog back to public. I’ve missed hearing about your building project and the cats and Tim and William…anyway, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm too old and too busy to be trying to learn new tricks.
DeleteSounds like you are going to get a chance to meet yourself. Hopefully you don’t get too much rain… or wind.
ReplyDeleteNo wind. Gentle rain. I've evidently settled down a great deal from my wild youth.
DeleteIt sounds hopeful with city hall.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting, that is for sure.
DeleteOK, well, that's progress I guess. Of course, "considering it" could take a long time.
ReplyDeleteYes, it could.
Delete