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Resident presses council over billing appeals and staff access; council discusses formal appeal process
Summary
A resident said she followed the town’s appeal process but still incurred penalties; council asked staff to draft a formal water-and-sewer bill appeals supplement and discussed access to financial systems while the treasurer is on leave.
A resident told the council she had used the town’s appeal process without timely relief and urged the council to create a formal supplemental appeals procedure that pauses penalties while a bill dispute is resolved.
Debbie Buckingham, introduced during public comment, said she followed the written appeal steps and then filed an ombudsman complaint after accruing charges. “I filed my documents on Oct. 13,” Buckingham said, adding that she continued to incur penalties while her dispute remained unresolved. She thanked the council for removing a large charge on her bill but said the town’s procedures and access to records remain a problem.
Nut graf: Councilmembers responded that a formal appeals supplement should be written into the water-and-sewer manual. Staff said the matter could be addressed as either an interim administrative procedure or through the consultant-led manual rewrite that the council is advancing with NewGen.
Town staff said the treasurer — named in discussion as Holly — is currently on protected leave, and staff have been working to gain access to bank accounts and systems. Similia, the town administrator, said the mayor and staff recently secured access to bank accounts and that the town has engaged a retired municipal financial expert to help navigate operations while the treasurer is on leave.
Councilmember discussion focused on two parts of the problem: (1) creating or clarifying an appeal that halts penalties and interest while disputes proceed; and (2) ensuring the town’s financial systems are accessible to backup staff when the treasurer is unavailable. Staff said the NewGen scope could include recommendations for an appeals process in the water and sewer manual and that the council can adopt either an interim administrative procedure or wait for the consultant’s rewrite.
Ending: Councilmembers directed staff to draft language for a formal appeals process (an interim supplement to the water-and-sewer manual) that addresses stays of penalties during appeals and the administrative panel or mechanism that would hear disputes. Staff and the mayor also said they would continue to secure systems access and bring an interim solution for financial operations while the treasurer is on leave.
