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Council weighs stricter water-sewer billing enforcement and 60- vs 90-day disconnect practice
Summary
Staff told the council the written disconnection policy triggers at 60 days but implementation often stretches to about 90 days; members discussed standardizing procedures, potential dollar caps, late penalties, and options to help residents avoid long arrears.
Council members and staff spent a substantial portion of the meeting on inconsistencies in water and sewer billing enforcement and the town's disconnect practices.
Staff said the town's written policy provides for disconnection at 60 days, but in many cases accounts are effectively allowed to reach 90-plus days before action is taken. "It's written in that that there's to be disconnection at 60 days," the staff member said, and participants noted that operationally the current practice can translate to longer periods because a customer's current month is included before arrears are addressed. Councilors discussed creating consistent procedures, considering dollar thresholds for intervention, and determining equitable approaches for residential versus commercial accounts.
Members and staff also discussed outreach problems — mailed bills not reaching residents and phone-system issues — and suggested practical fixes such as a web form for residents to update contact information or temporarily forwarding calls to staff cell phones. Council asked staff to put a policy update on a future agenda for formal action.
