A German Village property owner identified in the meeting as Claire said a break in a main water line in front of her Jackson Street rental forced emergency work that was delayed by confusion over a new process routing sidewalk and right‑of‑way approvals through the German Village Commission.

Claire said she discovered the break early on a Thursday, emailed the commission midday with “urgent” in the subject line, and did not receive a definitive reply before the situation worsened. She said staff later helped her complete the required paperwork Friday, which allowed the vendor to obtain permits Friday evening, make repairs Saturday and secure inspections Monday; the sidewalk was restored Tuesday. On the following Wednesday, she said, the vendor received a citation and fine from the commission for working “without a permit” because the permit showed up in the system on Monday after being filed Friday night.

“The commission is just not designed to be an emergency response team,” Claire told commissioners, adding that in her view the settlement that changed sidewalk review processes created a “roadblock” to urgent repairs. She urged the commission and staff to consider a 24/7 human contact line for emergencies and an expedited “emergency COA” pathway that is distinct from standard reviews.

Staff member Sophie and commissioners acknowledged the concern and said the commission’s current procedures stem from a recent settlement and related injunction; staff said final direction would follow resolution of that legal process. Commissioners and staff discussed interim options and agreed to follow up with right‑of‑way and water‑utility contacts to clarify when other city divisions will act without a COA in clear emergencies.

Claire provided a timeline of actions: initial email Thursday, paperwork completed Friday with staff assistance, repair work Saturday, inspections Monday and a citation to the contractor on Wednesday. Staff told the commission that contractors can appeal citations and suggested Claire and the vendor pursue that route; staff also offered to follow up via the commission’s portal.

The exchange did not include a formal vote or directive to change the commission’s rules; staff repeatedly said broader procedural direction will await settlement resolution and that staff could look for interim operational fixes.

"We were fortunate to push it through by Friday," Claire said, "but had this happened Friday night we'd not have noticed anything until Monday morning."