Porters Pub owner will air grievances over February flooding tonight at City Hall

Porters Pub owner Jim Hanley puts his foot on a bulkhead where water poured into his basement on Feb. 10 (Rochester Voice photo)

ROCHESTER - Rochester's city manager recently asked Porters Pub owner Jim Hanley to estimate his losses from recent flooding he blames on the city, Hanley told The Rochester Voice on Wednesday.

Hanley said the request from City Manager Blaine Cox gives him a glimmer of hope that the city or their insurer may be considering helping him out with the costs of the February flood, which caused thousands of dollars of damage.

Hanley said he will air his grievances with the city at tonight's Public Works and Buildings Committee during public input, adding he didn't get on the agenda due to his own error in not getting a request in on time.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Council chambers.

Meanwhile, City Council on April 5 will discuss the unsealing of minutes from a nonpublic session in 2021 when councilors voted to lease 13-17 Hanson St. for the development of a green space, which ultimately led to the flooding last month, Hanley contends.

Hanley says the city's six-inch elevation of 13-17 Hanson St. caused his business to flood on Feb. 10.

Rochester Economic Development Director Mike Scala said the idea of filling in the cellar hole of the former Colby's Pub and turning it into a park occurred after two city councilors came to him last year saying it was unsightly.
Hanley said on Thursday he spoke with City Councilors Chris Rice and Doug Lachance last winter about his interest in leasing the land either from the owner or subleasing it from the city to use it for parking.

But the city ended up leasing it from Great Northern Properties of Exeter with a noncommercial clause, effectively blocking Hanley from utilizing the space in any way, whether it be parking or outdoor dining.

He said Rice and Lachance both told him that wasn't their intention.

"They said they didn't want that," Hanley said.