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Ramah board acts on delinquencies and discusses office safety after complaints
Summary
The board reviewed a list of customers with shutoff notices, directed the operator to attempt in-person collection before disconnection, authorized a certified letter and potential lien for a sewage-only account, and discussed secretary safety resulting in an executive-session review and consideration of a Ring camera.
The Ramah Water and Sanitation District board addressed customer delinquencies and office safety at its Aug. 12 meeting, instructing staff to attempt in-person collections before shutoffs, moving to pursue liens where standard disconnection is impractical, and convening an executive session to discuss staff safety.
Secretary Michele Macias presented a spreadsheet listing customers who had received shutoff notices with a due date of Aug. 11 but remained unpaid on Aug. 12. The board reviewed recurring late-payment patterns and directed operator Flint Tietjen to visit two properties with water service the following morning to attempt collection; if payment was not received, Tietjen was authorized to shut off service in accordance with district policy. For one customer who receives only sewage services and cannot be easily disconnected, the board authorized sending a certified letter stating the district will place a lien on the property if charges remain unpaid.
The board reiterated its policy that accounts should be in property owners’ names going forward; if a renter’s account is shut off, restoration will require paying past due charges, a $100 reconnection fee and transferring the account into the property owner’s name.
On safety, a community member described incidents prompting a report to the McKinley County sheriff’s office; board members said deputies found no immediate direct threat but an incident report was filed. The board voted unanimously to move into executive session at 8:07 p.m. to discuss staff safety and reconvened at 8:35 p.m., reporting they would look into installing a Ring camera at the district office.
