Paden City resident Wayne Nething is hoping a longtime hole on Jefferson Street will soon get filled following waterline work that he said occurred about three years ago.

Nething brought the matter to City Council during its regular meeting on April 7.

“I’ve lived there for going on 46 years. Three and half years ago they tore the road out, put a new waterline in. They got a section three or four-foot wide that they cut the concrete half way up, stopped, filled it in with gravel and nothing has been done after that,” he said. “It’s been three and half years. It’s a mess.”

City Recorder Sheila Ervin, who was presiding over the meeting in Mayor Clyde Hochstrasser’s absence, agreed that the area was “a mess.”

“If Clyde was here he could probably provide an answer better than I can,” she said.

Nething suggested that the gravel be removed and the space be filled in with asphalt.

“It’s just a mess. There is gravel all over the road,” he said.

A city employee in attendance during the meeting said he believed the waterline work itself was not complete. He noted, however, that it was done before his time with the city.

There was some discussion about what remained work wise underground. Ervin believes some residents don’t want holes filled in with asphalt if it is a concrete-paved road.

“Concrete would be nice, but asphalt, anything would be better,” Nething said.

Councilman Bill Bell noted the hole and loose gravel is a safety issue and it should be fixed.

No related action was taken by council.