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Board tables two sanitation-billing disputes after incomplete documentation and audio issues
Summary
At its March 3 meeting the Board of Public Works and Safety tabled two sanitation-billing requests — one from a landlord disputing a high water/sewer charge and one from a resident asking late fees be waived — and asked staff to provide more documentation at the March 17 meeting.
The Board of Public Works and Safety on March 3 tabled two citizen requests about sanitation bills and late fees until its next meeting on March 17 after members said they lacked full documentation and experienced audio problems during testimony.
Property owner Evan Aronson asked the board to waive the remaining disputed amount on a sewer/water bill for a rental property he said has been vacant off and on since Aug. 1. "It's about $830 right now that is due. I did just as a gesture of goodwill, I did pay you guys $200," Aronson said during the meeting. He described an identity-theft tenant who occupied the house briefly, said he turned the water off, and that a leak was later repaired after he was notified.
Board staff said the utility adjustment policy requires documentation of repairs for leak-related adjustments, and the legal department advised that charges for sewage treatment while someone else had an account in the tenant's name were a civil matter between landlord and tenant because the city still incurred treatment costs. Because members could not reliably hear all testimony, a board member moved to table Aronson's request; the motion passed.
Brandy (last name given in testimony as Ferov) told the board she had missed sanitation bills, which she attributed to apparent postal delivery errors among three similarly numbered addresses on Pine Lake Drive. She said she paid $400 and asked the board to consider removing accumulated late fees so she could bring the account current by the next due date. The board instructed staff to confirm which bills and late fees are outstanding, to flag the account for the March 17 meeting, and to consider waiving a late fee for the payment due a week after the meeting.
The board repeatedly cited incomplete records and the need for utility-office documentation as reasons to defer both matters. Board members and staff asked customers to work with the sanitation office to submit repair records, payment histories and any correspondence with the postal service prior to the March 17 meeting.
Ending
Both requests were tabled for further review; the board directed staff to compile repair documentation, payment histories and fee breakdowns so members can act or make a clearer recommendation on March 17.
