Time for a True DPW?
Wonderful letter from the Water Department - Water Service Termination Policy.
Under the guise of "eliminating this labor intensive step" delinquent water customers will get screwed:
So you have 30 days to pay up and then a reminder notice for an additional 15 days. Then off goes the water!
To restore water service:
Why can't the water bills be paid on Unipay like Real Estate Taxes, Sewer Bills, even the Town Clerk !
You can pay online for dog licenses and vital records! But No!, not your water bill - TMLWP wants your credit card or bank information.
TMLWP pays the fees associated with using a credit card to pay light and water bills. That's about $7,000 per year. If you are trying to save money, the commissioners might want to start there.
Instead they voted to charge water customers a $50.00 turn on fee Monday - Thursday and a $200.00 turn-on fee during the weekends.
Time to revoke Chapter 93 Acts of 2000!
Another reason I am thankful that I do not have Town Water and Sewer. These guys had better zip up their shirts, before they give their heart away ! So what happens if you have a family problem ? For a lot of people, 200 bucks is a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably the one thing I agree with the light/water dept. on. NOTHING has changed, they just won't be knocking on your door the day before they plan on shutting water off, it has always been pay in 45 days or off it goes.
ReplyDeletePay Your Bill you don't have to worry
Do, yes it is a smart thing to pay your bills, but sometimes life gets in the way. The worse thing about separating the water from sewer, is that in most communities water and sewer bills are on one bill. If you do not pay the bill, then the city or town has a reason to shut your water off. I have talked to one of the Sewer Commissioners about the trouble they are having, trying to get the people who are behind to pay up. They take someone to court every week. People don't show up ! The SC put liens on the property, but it appears people do not care. The refusal of the Water Department to shut off the water only adds to the amount of money the Town is owed. In my opinion, that does not do anyone any good. Bev.
DeleteGee Bev, you think maybe there would be cooperation between departments. The Town's interests should be first and foremost.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, only in dream land would the Water Department help the Sewer Department out. The fact that they would was part of the original scam, to sell the deal to the BOS at the time.
DeleteIf you read yesterday's Gardner News, after the news and update about Winchendon's Snow & Ice Account there is some interesting reading under "Water Bills"
ReplyDelete"In an unrelated matter, Gallant said workers were out Tuesday hanging reminders on some 335 doorknobs, reminding water users that their bills were overdue. He said delinquent ratepayers are about $75,00 in arrears on their water bills. The money goes into the water enterprise fund, which is used to provide drinking water to most of the town.
"WE SEND OUT A BILL GIVING PEOPLE 30 DAYS TO PAY, " said Gallant."THEN WE GIVE THEM ANOTHER 50 DAYS. NOW, WE SEND A LETTER AND POST A REMINDER ON DOORKNOBS LETTING THEM KNOW THEY HAVE ANOTHER 15 DAYS TO PAY UP. AFTER THAT, WE START SHUTTING PEOPLE OFF."
Gallant said that during the last quarter, he had to shut off five customers. Of those five, three have made arrangements to pay their bills.
If you have time, please review the link above "Chapter 93 Acts of 200" there are lots of links to primary documents which lay out how this scam was committed.