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Resident Wanda Jackson urges Carl Junction to reconsider higher rental water deposit
Summary
During public comment, Wanda Jackson told the Carl Junction Board of Aldermen she felt 'punished' by a $125 rental water-deposit requirement after previously paying a $50 owner deposit; staff said the rental rule is longstanding and that a code change would be required for exceptions.
Wanda Jackson told the Carl Junction Board of Aldermen during the meeting that she feels unfairly penalized by the city’s higher rental water-deposit requirement.
"My complaint...I just feel like I'm being punished because I'm renting," Jackson said, explaining that she had paid a $50 deposit as a homeowner but was told rentals require $125. She gave her address as 605 Rose Lane and asked the board to consider leniency for long-time customers who are downsizing and remaining in town.
City Clerk Elena explained the policy to the board, saying the higher deposit for rentals has been in place longer than her tenure as clerk and is intended to reduce administrative burden when renters move without notice. "We have more people that move out without telling us when it's a rental," Elena said, arguing the larger deposit makes refunding and recordkeeping easier.
Councilmembers discussed a possible exception on a case-by-case basis but said any permanent change would require a code amendment. One councilmember suggested having code enforcement or the city attorney review whether the city could craft an exception; another cautioned that the clerk would be placed in a difficult position making ad hoc determinations.
The board did not adopt any immediate changes. Staff was asked to explore options, and councilmembers said they would consider whether an exception could be spelled out in the code or handled administratively.
