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Clerk reports illegal reconnection after shutoff; $600 penalty assessed, council orders payment plan option
Summary
A Hinckley utility customer had service restored illegally after shutoff for nonpayment; Clerk Tresa Taylor reported a $600 penalty was added and the council authorized staff to offer payment arrangements and restore service after arrangements are made.
Clerk Tresa Taylor told the council that a customer whose water was shut off for nonpayment had their service illegally reconnected the following day, resulting in unauthorized use. The town assessed a $600 penalty to the customer’s utility account.
Council Member Ron Black suggested offering payment arrangements because the incident occurred near a holiday weekend. Mayor Alan Miller instructed maintenance employee Dillon Lewis to contact the customer the next morning to set up payment arrangements and to restore service once arrangements are made. Council members discussed future protections, including using locks or tamper‑evident tags to document shut-offs and deter illegal reconnections.
The council did not indicate the customer’s name during the meeting. Officials framed the action as a civil violation with a financial penalty and an administrative plan to resolve the immediate service need through payment arrangements.
