Arlene Guerra, owner of TJ’s at the Old Forge in Bandera, is continuing to seek a $5,000 reimbursement from the city following a months-long sewage repair dispute involving the city’s public works department.
The issue dates back to November, when Guerra said staff alerted her to flooding inside the restaurant’s kitchen. At first, she believed the problem was internal and hired a plumber to investigate.
The plumber initially snaked the drain to the restaurant’s grease pit, which had recently been emptied, but suspected debris may have been caught in the line.
Later that evening, Guerra received another call from staff reporting the grease trap had overflowed and sewage had backed into the rear parking area.
The plumber returned and continued tracing the blockage, eventually determining the problem extended to the city’s main sewer line.
“He told me it was clogged at the main city line,” Guerra said.
The sewage backup flooded areas behind the restaurant and parts of the parking lot. Guerra said her plumber contacted the city’s public works department, which sent an employee to inspect the issue and clear the line.
The following day, Guerra said staff again reported a strong sewage odor inside the building.
She contacted the plumber again to check for additional problems, but none were found. Two days later, the restaurant’s women’s restroom flooded, and the plumber again traced the blockage to the city’s system.
During that visit, the plumber used a camera to inspect the line and showed city public works employees that the blockage extended into the city’s main sewer line.
Guerra said communication with Public Works Director Terry Wells became unclear in the weeks that followed.
According to Guerra, Wells later told her the city had already repaired its portion of the line. Guerra said she questioned that explanation because repairs would have required excavation through her parking lot.
The issue resurfaced again just before Christmas, when sewage backed up into the women’s restroom and grease trap. Guerra contacted her plumber again and was advised to contact the city.
On New Year’s Day, Guerra’s plumber met with Wells to review the camera footage showing damage to a deteriorating clay sewer pipe estimated to be 30 to 40 years old.
Following that meeting, Guerra said Wells contacted her to schedule repairs and asked when the restaurant could temporarily close to allow the city to complete the work.
Guerra said the conversation surprised her because she had previously been told the city’s portion of the line had already been repaired.
The sewer line was eventually replaced, but Guerra said the cleanup afterward created additional frustration.
She said sewer caps were left open along the side of the building and debris, including paper towels, remained scattered in the area. Guerra said she directed restaurant staff to clean the mess.
Guerra also said she later learned during a Jan. 12 Bandera City Council meeting that Wells had not personally been present during the repairs.
Although the city has acknowledged responsibility for the damaged pipe, City Attorney Matt Groves has requested that Guerra submit additional documentation before the city considers reimbursing the requested amount.
Guerra said the request appeared to include materials she had already submitted.
“It’s literally everything that I’ve already given the city, but okay, I’ll do it again,” she said.
In response to questions about the situation, the city released a statement describing Wells’ experience with the department.
“Terry has been with the City for nearly ten years and has worked his way up through multiple Public Works directors during that time,” the statement said. “He has extensive institutional knowledge of the City’s operations and a strong understanding of all utilities and infrastructure lines located throughout the City. His experience and familiarity with our systems allow him to effectively oversee daily operations and long-term maintenance needs.”
Records on file show Wells holds a Class C groundwater treatment operator certification from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Some nearby cities list a bachelor’s degree in engineering in addition to certification as a preferred qualification for public works director positions.
The reimbursement request stems from the same sewage dispute discussed during the Jan. 12 Bandera City Council meeting, where council members questioned Guerra’s claim for losses tied to the incident and tabled a decision pending additional verification.
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