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Council denies waiver but reduces disputed water bill after public hearing
Summary
After a public hearing, the council voted to deny Steve Geiger’s request to waive a large disputed water bill but approved a staff-recommended reduction to Tier 1 rates, leaving the adjusted balance at approximately $14,7.25 as revised by staff.
The council held a public hearing on a request by Steven Geiger to reduce or waive an unusually large water bill tied to a leak discovered at a multi-unit building. City staff reviewed work orders showing multiple rereads and a meter shut-off after staff identified a leak near the building's service line. Geiger said he did not know about the leak until he received the bill and described repairs and internal pressure-regulator work undertaken after the issue was identified.
Speakers reviewed meter-reading dates and the city's typical practice of billing based on reads; staff explained they had already adjusted the disputed charges downward to a residential Tier 1 rate for the period thought to have been affected. Several council members and long-time residents urged caution, saying broad waivers would set an undesirable precedent for future claims involving aged private service lines. On motion, the council denied the waiver request but approved the staff-recommended reduction; the motion carried by unanimous voice vote. Staff recorded the adjusted owed amount as the reduced Tier 1 total.
Mayor and councilors asked staff to continue refining leak-detection and customer-notification processes so customers learn of potential leaks earlier (staff said they routinely rely on billing cycles to reveal hidden leaks). The council’s action adjusted this one account rather than adopting a new policy for all similar claims.
