City, couple near settlement of water damage claim

By Cassie Tomlin

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008 | midnight

Mold destroyed their plans to vacation in the Greek Isles, its removal draining a savings account.

It ruined two alpaca sweaters they brought from Peru and the basement computer room they relax in.

But Frank and Joan Pomellitto said they've heard that soon they'll be reimbursed more than $27,000 they spent repairing flood damage to their home caused by faulty city irrigation in September 2007.

The Pomellittos, who live in Half Moon, N.Y., most of the year, found their Boulder City basement had been soaked last year by a city landscaping valve stuck on and running for three days.

Mold had taken over, and the room had to be replaced.

The couple fixed the damage, but their insurance wouldn't cover the cost.

The city's insurance carrier, Nevada Public Agency Insurance Pool, is close to settling who will pay after more than a year negotiating with CEDCO Landscape — the company responsible for city landscaping and irrigation along Buchanan and Adams boulevards and Veterans Memorial Drive.

City Attorney Dave Olsen said last month that he had heard the parties were very close to settling and compensating the couple for their losses.

The Pomellittos had a rainy summer and a warmer beginning of winter than usual in Half Moon before returning to Boulder City Nov. 4. They'd expected to be paid back by now.

"We're just waiting and seeing," Frank Pomellitto said.

He said he blames the hold up on a "lousy written contract" the city has with CEDCO.

The contract gives CEDCO three hours to repair problems like the stuck valve that caused the Pomellitto's damage. It didn't get fixed for three days, and then by city work crews.

"There should be no argument who's at fault," Frank Pomellitto said.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].