Glens Falls Water and Sewer Board tables review of two customer billing disputes

The Glens Falls Water and Sewer Board on June 2 tabled action on two customer billing disputes — one at 175 Broad Street and one at 29 Smith Street — and directed staff to gather usage and billing history for both properties and return next month with recommended amounts.

The items were discussed during the board’s “billing issues” agenda section. Bill (staff member) said the issue at 175 Broad Street involved an excessive run that appeared to relate to a leak and noted the property’s owner name, Windsor Development, was familiar but likely historic. “Yes. It’s done,” Bill said when describing the underlying repair work at the 175 Broad Street property. The board agreed to postpone action for one month while staff checks the property’s records for the past five years.

On 29 Smith Street, a resident contacted staff asking for relief for an unusually large bill. Bill said staff needs to calculate the customer’s normal usage to determine any refund. Board members asked that staff return with the last several bills and a recommended adjustment based on typical usage; the board voted to postpone the item until a specific amount could be placed on the agenda.

Why it matters: both items could lead to customer refunds and represent ongoing operational tasks for water and sewer billing. The board’s direction for staff follow-up preserves the ability to act at the next meeting once staff supplies usage data and a dollar recommendation.

Board procedure and next steps: board members moved to table both items until the July meeting and instructed water and sewer staff to research five years of billing history for the 175 Broad Street property and to calculate normal usage and a proposed adjustment for the 29 Smith Street account. The motions carried.