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Resident urges Two Rivers to refund snow-removal invoices, cites unsubstantiated line items
Summary
A Two Rivers resident asked the city to cancel or refund 25 like snow-removal invoices and asked the Public Works Committee to review invoice procedures after records requests failed to produce supporting photos or substantiation of billed staff time.
Adam Kocia, a Two Rivers resident, told the City Council on March 3 that he received a $71.72 invoice for snow removal and that the city’s line-item charges for travel and processing were not substantiated.
Kocia said the invoice, dated Feb. 13, billed 9 minutes each way for staff travel, multiple entries for complaint intake and photo processing, and a 3-minute phone call with an administrative assistant. He told the council he had a Ring camera and personal observation that contradicted the travel time charged and that his follow-up records request did not produce the before/after photos or the complaint metadata he asked for.
"I ask that all 25 invoices referencing or that have referenced so far be refunded or canceled and that there's a review of the DPW policies as to invoice generation be reviewed to ensure that issues like this do not arise in the future," Kocia said during public comment.
Kocia said the list he received showed 25 properties billed the same $71.72 amount for the Jan. 13 snow event. He described multiple identical line items that together assigned 36 minutes of staff time at pay rates between $39.33 and $42 an hour to process photos and prepare invoices, despite his records request indicating the city could not provide photos or complaint-source details.
City Manager Greg acknowledged the complaint and said the topic will be discussed with the Public Works Committee at its next meeting. "I know that is something we'll be talking about with Public Works. Sorry. On Wednesday," Greg said.
The council packet and later remarks in the meeting also referenced the municipal ordinance requiring snow and ice removal from sidewalks within 24 hours after the end of a snow event; the council noted administration and enforcement of that ordinance will be among issues the Public Works Committee examines.
Next steps recorded at the meeting: the Public Works Committee will address concerns about how the Department of Public Works generates and documents snow-removal invoices and how the ordinance is administered. Kocia requested refund or cancellation of the 25 like invoices he identified; the council did not take a vote on refunds during the March 3 meeting.
Clarifying details in the record include the invoice amount ($71.72), the invoice date (Feb. 13), the number of properties on the list (25), billed staff-time line items (9 minutes travel each way; 36 minutes total for photo handling at $39.33–$42/hour; a 3-minute phone call at $42/hour) and a records-response statement from Val in the city manager’s office that the photos Kocia requested were not available.
