Day care providers tell Ogdensburg council water and sewer billing is unfairly targeted

Two in‑home day care providers used the council’s public comment period to urge the Ogdensburg City Council to revisit recent changes in water and sewer billing and to ensure charges are applied equally across home‑based businesses.

Kylie Morrow, who identified herself as a day care provider, said the policy appears to single out day cares and could force some to close. “It is unacceptable that this council has chosen to single out daycares for additional charges while other in home businesses, particularly those that care for Individuals such as adult foster homes or small residential care operations have not been subjected to the same financial burdens,” Morrow told council. She asked the council to “revisit this policy” and, if charges are necessary, to apply them “fairly equitably and transparently across all in home businesses.”

Arlene Kai, another licensed day care provider, said the billing and code changes dated to February 2020 and raised concerns about inconsistent application and possible conflicts of interest in how the city implemented a new code. Kai said some businesses that filed the same affidavit as day care providers were not targeted. Asked whether she wanted amendments to the code, Kai said the “new code need to be amended” and asked council members for answers at a future meeting.

Councilors did not take action on the comments during the meeting. City staff previously discussed home‑business code enforcement in the meeting’s old business segment, and councilors asked for an update to be provided at a later date.

Ending

Speakers requested specific review and equal application of any new billing rules for in‑home businesses; no policy change or formal vote was recorded at the meeting.