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CC SR 20210803 E - Claim Against the City Soltani Atash RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/03/2021 AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar AGENDA TITLE: Consideration and possible action regarding a claim against the City by Atash Soltani. RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION: 1) Reject the claim and direct Staff to notify the claimant, Atash Soltani. FISCAL IMPACT: None Amount Budgeted: N/A Additional Appropriation: N/A Account Number(s): N/A ORIGINATED BY: Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS: A. Atash Soltani claim (page A-1) BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is a member of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (Authority), which provides risk management services and handles any liability claims received by the City. Under the current practice, claims presented to the City Clerk are forwarded by the Authority to a third -party claims administrator, Carl Warren and Company (Carl Warren) for adjusting. Carl Warren’s staff reviews each claim on its merits and contacts the City with any requested action pertaining to the disposition of the claim. The City Clerk and the City Attorney review each claim when received and work closely with Carl Warren throughout the claims process. 1 Claimant: On June 4, 2021, the City received a claim for damages from Atash Soltani. The claim was referred to Carl Warren for review and investigation. The claimant states tha t on May 21, 2021, a main sewer line overflowed at the corner of 6933 Maycroft Drive. The claim alleges the City is at fault due to a City tree’s roots clogging the main sewer line. Deposition: Carl Warren has reviewed the claim and found that there is no liability for the City as the sewer line is maintained by the County of Los Angeles; tree roots entered the claimant’s lateral through the WYE (connection that connects the sewer lateral to the City main) top cap seam due to deterioration of the top cap seam; and there is no visual evidence of root intrusion associated with the claimed damage. 2 A-1 A-2