The Pothole Problem

Zanesville city residents will have a hard time getting help from the city for damage done to their cars by potholes.

This year the city has seen 40 to 50 claims, compared to five to ten in normal years.

"Typically just a couple thousand dollars total in that department," said Zanesville City Law Director Scott Hillis. "This year in just pothole claims that have been submitted so far is over $15,000."

At today’s Public Service Committee meeting, Hillis gave his review of the claims, saying the city is not liable for damage.

"The law says the city needed to have known about the pothole and they didn’t fix it within a reasonable amount of time," said Committee Chairman David Tarbert. "The reasonable amount of time in case law is about seven days. There’s been no evidence and I’m sure our street department is getting to these potholes within hours if not 24 hours at the very latest."

Tarbert says additionally, this year’s budget crisis has not allowed for a fund to be set aside to help with pothole damage.

Hillis says so far this year only one claim has been paid out and that was for damage which occurred last year.