St. Catherine's Neighbors Pray for Fewer Disruptions

Several neighbors who live near St. Catherine school have filed grievances with city officials over the reconstruction of the seven acre campus, which began in June.

John and Chris Selecky, along with Sandra Cain, who live adjacent to the 50-year-old school, say their homes have been affected by construction noise, and last week sent email complaints to city officials, including the city's code enforcement officer.

So far, city officials have not issued citations.

Cain's grievances included trucks weighted with construction materials, arriving at 4:30 or 5 a.m. She cited city codes that limit work hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. "I'm begging you," she said in the email, to enforce standard work hours and not bring huge trucks on site before 6:30 a.m."

Job superintendent Frank Johnson, of Illig Construction, assured Cain it would not happen again. Johnson thinks communication is key to avoiding problems. "We only had a couple of complaints recently," he said. "I'm in contact with the neighbors."

Some of the subcontractors apparently were unaware of the restrictions and arrived early, but have now been notified, he said.

City Building Official John Gustafson has issued at least a few Saturday work permits on an irregular and "as needed basis." Johnson said as far as he knows there are no plans to work on any other Saturdays.

Judy Michael, another neighbor in the 12-unit Grandview Terrace condominiums that abut the construction to the northwest, said everyone on the construction force is polite and waves her into her garage parking around construction machinery when necessary. Even so, Michael signed a petition to ask the contractor to cease work on Saturdays.