Residents say enforced master-meter water billing will burden seasonal mobile-home residents

Tim Dempsey, the homeowners association president at Roberts Mobile Home Park, told the Pinellas Park City Council on Feb. 13 that an ordinance change he identified as "ordinance 4269" will require the park to collect water fees and remit a single payment to the city starting April 1, forcing seasonal residents to pay monthly charges while they are away.

"They're going to have to pay year round even though they're not there for six months out of the year," Dempsey said, and asked whether an accommodation could be made for snowbirds who only live in the park half the year. He said some residents are considering leaving because they cannot afford the new cost.

Paul Johnson, who said he is one of the snowbirds affected, described how the park owner is using a per-unit formula ("four people per residence") to divide the master-meter bill and said that method can be unfair for units with fewer occupants. "It seems to me that it's unfair to be charged for something that you're not using," Johnson said.

City staff explained to the assembled residents that the city is now enforcing an existing ordinance that had not been consistently applied in the past and that in master-meter situations the city bills to the single meter and the private park operator is responsible for internal allocation and collection. Staff invited residents to meet with utilities staff to review the park's public billing records and discuss possible solutions outside the meeting.

Council members and staff urged residents to take billing questions to the Utilities Department (Kelly) and said the public billing record will show the park's total gallons and charges so residents and the city can review how the park operator allocates costs. Staff also noted single‑family residential practices for seasonal shutoffs do not apply when a property is served via a private master meter.

The council did not take action on the issue during the meeting; staff offered to meet individually with park representatives and residents to review bills and options.

What happens next: Residents were advised to obtain copies of the park's public billing records, meet with utilities staff (Kelly) and city staff (Don Von was named as a contact), and attempt to negotiate with the park owner about internal allocation of the master-meter bill.