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Council adopts ordinance creating Water & Sewer billing analyst position
Summary
The council voted to establish a Water & Sewer Billing Analyst in the water department, creating a permanent position with a stated salary range and duties including billing audits and customer dispute research; the department said recovered revenue demonstrates the role will pay for itself.
The Lawrence City Council on July 7 adopted Ordinance 48-26 to add a Water & Sewer Billing Analyst in the city's Water & Sewer Department.
The ordinance establishes duties including overseeing customer account management, researching disputes and potential adjustments, auditing district billing operations, and supporting billing cycles for roughly 12,600 accounts. The posted minimum qualifications include a high school diploma and 1'to'2 years of accounting or billing experience; bilingual ability is preferred. The salary range in the ordinance is $54,600 to $87,003.60 annually.
Water & Sewer Commissioner William Hale told the council he worked with the mayor's office and the city attorney on the language and cited recent recoveries: "In the past 2 years, we brought in about $360,000 of lost revenue," he said, adding that closer review of meters, digits and Munis integrations showed opportunities to collect revenue and that the position "will pay for itself." Commissioner Hale said he used Somerville's billing-analyst job description as a model and noted comparable pay ranges in other jurisdictions.
A public commenter, Bill Collins, opposed creating new positions and argued the city should prioritize filling long-standing vacancies in veterans' services instead. Councilors asked for examples, comparators, and assurances about projected revenue; Commissioner Hale described the department's work and forecasting that already delivered significant recoveries.
The council voted on the ordinance after the public hearing; the clerk recorded a roll-call vote and the motion carried. The ordinance sets the position as mayoral appointment and outlines hiring and duties; as written it will be classified non-union Grama E and requires standard administrative follow-through for hiring.
What happens next: Personnel and the mayor's office will proceed with recruitment and classification steps, consistent with the ordinance. The department indicated it will report back on realized revenue increases and the position's effectiveness.
