Vinton council approves water and wastewater project moves, denies bill-forgiveness request for 305 North Avenue

The Vinton City Council approved a change order to the water treatment plant contract and authorized an administrative request for the wastewater treatment plant, and it voted against forgiving a large residential water bill after hearing from a family member of the account holder.

Council considered Change Order No. 1 for the water treatment plant, which council leadership described as cleaning up contract language after administration removed liquidated-damages provisions to lower the bid. The chair explained that the allegedly removed liquidated-damages language had been directed by someone in the administration “to lower the bid,” and the change order removes residual language; the council approved the motion by roll call.

The council also approved an administrative/payment item described as passcode number 26 related to the wastewater treatment plant; that motion passed on roll call as well.

During the public-comment period, Wanda Barkdoff spoke on behalf of her mother, Dolly Barkdoff, asking for forgiveness or reduction of an unusually high municipal water bill. Barkdoff said the household received a bill of $770 and a subsequent bill of $214, while its typical monthly charges run about $100–$130, and that the high bills exhausted available funds for a family on a fixed income. Staff explained the city’s historical policy: when water leaves the system and goes into a sewer connection, the city continues to charge for water and sewer, and the council noted precedent and administrative constraints on one-off credits.

The council then took a formal vote on the forgiveness request and voted against forgiving the account balance. The chair thanked the commenter for bringing the matter to the council and expressed sympathy for the family’s circumstances.

Votes at a glance - Change Order No. 1 (water treatment plant improvements): Motion made by Tammy; seconded by Andrew. Roll-call responses recorded by the clerk showed affirmative votes (multiple members answered “Yes”) and the motion passed. - Administrative/payment item (wastewater, passcode #26): Motion made by Zach; seconded by Andrew. Roll-call responses recorded as “Yes” and the motion passed. - Utility-forgiveness request, 305 North Avenue: Motion to approve the request was made and seconded; council members voted No in roll call and the request was denied.

Next steps: The approved contract changes will be signed and returned to the contractor; staff will proceed with the wastewater administrative request. The council did not direct staff to pursue a credit for the 305 North Avenue account; the speaker said the bill had already been paid by the family’s representative but had exhausted available funds.