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Neosho council authorizes leak-adjustment exception for disputed Skyline Drive bill
Summary
After a resident disputed a $308.67 water bill, utility staff calculated a 50% leak adjustment ($161.18). Council authorized the city manager to apply the normal leak-adjustment policy as if a verified leak had been repaired and suspended penalties while staff finalized calculations; the motion passed 5–0.
Council considered a disputed water-and-sewer bill for 1124 Skyline Drive and voted to allow an exception to normal documentation requirements so the account could be adjusted under the city's leak policy.
Utility billing staff told council the billed amount for the month in question was $308.67 and that staff calculation for a standard 50% leak adjustment would amount to $161.18. Staff said the three-month average usage for the account is about $87.42 per month and that the account returned to normal levels the following month, but the city lacked the documentation required by policy to classify the usage as a verifiable leak.
Council discussed options ranging from no adjustment to refunding the full overage and settled on a compromise: authorize the city manager to treat the account as though the leak had been identified and repaired and to apply the city's established leak-adjustment formula. Council also instructed staff to withhold penalties and interest while the adjustment was processed. The motion was seconded and passed on a 5–0 roll call.
What happens next: Staff will calculate the precise credit under the existing policy, apply the adjustment to the resident's account and report back to council if further action is required.
