Resident complains $75 emergency water shut-off fee; council and staff explain flat call charge

A St. Marys resident, Denise Cassidy of 1014 Cleveland Avenue, told city council she was billed $75 after a Sunday emergency water shut-off that she says took about three minutes. Cassidy said the charge felt excessive for a short emergency call and asked the council to consider prorating the fee or otherwise reducing the burden for lower-income residents.

Cassidy described the circumstances: a water pipe issue in her crawl space required immediate shut-off, city staff attended quickly, and the resident said the worker asked if she wanted the repair given the $75 charge. "I'm being billed $75 for that... I was billed for 3 whole minutes," Cassidy said, adding that several neighbors cannot afford such charges.

City representatives and a council member responded that the $75 fee is a flat call-in charge rather than an hourly rate. One official said, "The $75 does not cover their wages... He's paid time and a half," and another clarified, "It's $75 for a call in." Officials noted travel and call-in time can add to staff time beyond the on-site work, and that employee pay policies do not include 'triple time.'

The council did not direct an immediate policy change; the resident was thanked for raising the concern and staff explained current billing practices. No ordinance or fee schedule change was adopted at the meeting; the matter could be brought back for formal consideration if council wishes to review the utility's billing policy.