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Resident challenges forgiveness of large water bill for long-vacant property; board points to new meter ordinance
Summary
A resident questioned why a large water bill tied to a long-vacant property was reduced, arguing forgiveness shifts costs to other ratepayers; the board said a new ordinance now requires pulling meters on vacant properties but did not retroactively apply it to the earlier incident.
During public comment at the Sept. 17 meeting, resident Charles Wood asked the board to explain its policy on excessive water bills after he said a board member’s account had been reduced. Wood said forgiving the bill would set a precedent that shifts costs to other taxpayers.
“ If it went to your property, you’re responsible for it,” Wood said, urging consistent treatment for all residents. He told the board he understood the amount had been reduced to zero in that instance.
Board member Connie Poole responded that the property in question had been vacant for more than 20 years, that the water meter had been locked and later opened or tampered with, and that water could not have been delivered to the home because no service lines ran under it. “There was no way the water could’ve gone to my property,” Poole said.
David Bailey said the council has now adopted an ordinance requiring that meters be pulled for vacated, burned or unsafe properties to prevent similar incidents in the future. Bailey also said he had made the operational decision after the mayor was out of town and that he stands by that call.
The board emphasized the new ordinance is intended to prevent future problems; members noted the disputed event took place before the ordinance was adopted and the meeting record does not show a uniform forgiveness policy for past incidents. No formal remedy for the prior bill was adopted at the Sept. 17 meeting.
