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Manaway council denies resident's $2,000 construction-deposit refund after audit and ordinance review
Summary
Ted Lane asked the council to refund a $2,000 construction deposit he said was withheld despite staff assurances; the council cited an adopted deadline and state-audit constraints and denied the request.
Ted Lane asked the council for a $2,000 refund of a construction-deposit payment, saying he had been told by a staff member he would receive a refund once the driveway/approach and sidewalk were restored.
Lane read a prepared letter asking the council to make an exception because he claimed staff guidance led him to delay completing a sidewalk/approach restoration. Council members and staff reviewed the town's fee resolution and financial-auditor guidance: the council's adopted policy limits refund eligibility and auditors have pressed the town to avoid holding deposits indefinitely.
Council members noted that the council had discussed deposit time frames earlier in the year and adopted limits to align with the state auditor. After extended discussion of past practice, whether exceptions had occurred and the potential for many similar requests, the council concluded it could not make an exception and denied Lane's refund request.
The council's decision rested on the adopted resolution and fiscal-responsibility concerns raised by the town auditor; the council acknowledged the refund amount is significant to the resident but emphasized consistency with adopted policy and audit requirements.
