Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utility Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents object as Peekskill considers water-meter code changes that could shift meter-replacement costs
Summary
A public hearing on proposed water-code updates prompted condo association leaders to object to changes that would make homeowners responsible for replacing larger or specialized water meters. Residents argued the meters were installed for city purposes and costs should remain a municipal responsibility.
At a public hearing on a proposed local law to update the city’s water code (chapter 5-60), city lawyers and the water superintendent described changes driven by new remote-reading meters and the need to clarify responsibilities for meter sizes and transmitting units. Staff said the city can handle replacement for meters up to one inch, but larger specialized meters are beyond the department’s equipment capabilities and the draft code clarifies that larger meters would require different procedures and fee schedules.
Several condominium association representatives, including Robert Sullivan, president of the Wood Street and Westchester Homeowners Association, objected. Sullivan said the current code assigns meter replacement and repair as a city responsibility and argued that shifting the cost to homeowners would be a policy decision that disproportionately affects older and lower-income residents. He asked the council to reconsider allocating those costs to individual property owners given the city installed the meters. The council closed the hearing after public comment and will consider next steps.
