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Home My WebLink About2013-12-19-WSAB-min Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 Attendance: Board Members: Loren Wood, Chair, and Jim Osten, Member and Bill Ribich, Member. Staff: Bill Hadley, DPW Director and Elizabeth Tucker and Robin Fullford, Utility Billing. Chair Loren Wood called the meeting to order at 4:30 pm. The order of business was conducted as follows: Approval of Minutes It was moved by Mr. Ribich, seconded by Mr. Osten and approved unanimously to approve the minutes of the November 21, 2013 minutes as presented. Status Report of Abatement Requests Ms. Fullford provided a status report as follows: 33 To be heard tonight 128 To be heard in the future 161 Total Disposition of Abatement Requests Leaks 62 Buckman Drive The homeowner filed an application on bill # 758902 citing a toilet leak and provided a receipt for repair parts. The average fall usage is 21 hcf therefore we recalculated all usage at tier one water rates. Staff recommended an abatement in the amount of - $140.07. 42 Circle Road The homeowner filed an applicatiǚǙ ǚǙ ǍǔǗǗ # 622721 ǌǙǏ ǛǝǚǡǔǏǐǏ ǌ ǛǗǠǘǍǐǝǴǞ ǝǐǎǐipt for three new toilets dated 7/8/13. The average spring usage is 59 hcf therefore we recalculated Bill #733832 with all but 19 hcf at tier one water rates. Also, we 1 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 believe the leak started in the previous billing period. The average fall usage is 40 hcf therefore we recalculated Bill #720101 with all usage at tier one water rates. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,389.12. 3 Currier Court The former homeowners applied for an abatement on bill # 756705 and provided a receipt for repair of a toilet on 8/19/13. Staff added bill # 746288 to the abatement recommendation because it is more than double the average usage. Because both the average spring and fall usage are under 40 units, we recalculated all usage at tier one rates. Note that bill #756705 is at FY13 rates because the FY14 rates had yet to be ratified at the time of the closing. Staff recommended an abatement of -$258.00. 3 Curve Street The homeowner filed an application on bill # 757327. They stated they had had a leak repaired by a plumber and provided a receipt. The average fall usage is 36 hcf therefore we recalculated all usage at tier one rates. We have also applied a 30% discount because the owners are eligible for the low income rate subsidy. Staff recommended an abatement of -$85.26. 20 ƶǗǐǟǎǓǐǝ ƱǡǐǙǠǐ J ǅǙǔǟ 0/ The homeowner filed an application on bill # 765561 citing a toilet leak and she provided a plumbers receipt for repair. The average fall usage is 49 hcf therefore we recalculate all usage but 9 units at tier one water rates. Staff recommended an abatement of -$275.25. 8 Frost Road The homeowner filed an application on bill # 763827 citing a burst hot water tank that caused her basement to flood. She provided a plumbers receipt for a new tank and repair to pipes. The average fall usage is 32 hcf therefore we recalculated all usage at tier one water rates. Also, because the leak did not enter the sewer system, recalculated the sewer at 32 hcf only. Staff recommended an abatement of -$317.80. 15 Holland Street The homeowners applied for an abatement on bill # 758597 citing a toilet leak. They provided a repair receipt from a plumber. Their average fall usage is 39 therefore we recalculated all usage at tier one rates. Staff recommended an abatement of - $546.21. 2 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 34 Oak Street The homeowner filed an application on bill # 721426 citing a stating that during the summer of 2012 they had filled and refilled their swimming pool after discovering and repairing leaks in the liner. We waited until they had established average usage for a complete fall billing period and used 37 as their average usage. We recalculated all usage at tier one water rates and, because the leak did not enter the sewer system, recalculated the sewer on 37 hcf only. FY2013 rates were used for recalculation. Staff recommended an abatement of -$499.60. 5 Paul Revere Road The homeowner filed an application on bill # 729226. Staff found and adjusted three toilets leaking in overflow. Since the average spring usage was 44, we recalculated all but 4 units at tier one rates. Staff recommended an abatement of -$198.00. 2 Royal Circle The homeowners called after receiving bill # 755957. Staff detected toilet leaks and the homeowners provided proof of repair. The 2 year average spring usage is 36 therefore we recalculated all usage at tier one rates. Staff recommended an abatement of -$481.57. It was moved by Mr. Osten, seconded by Mr. Wood and voted unanimously to approve all staff recommendations for leak based abatements as presented Over Estimated 415 Bedford Street The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #767116. The meter read was replaced with an outread of 84 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU and derived us age of 7 hcf. The other 2 units will be billed in the spring. Staff recommended an abatement of -$340.23. 3 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 30 Ewell Avenue This is a staff generated application for an abatement on bill #s 751949 and 751949. The meter was replaced with an outread of 682 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU from the last postcard read and derived usage of 12 hcf. Staff recommended an abatement of -$282.90. 106 Fifer Lane The homeowner applied for an abatement on bill #767900. Staff obtained a reading of 266 for the fall billing but suspected the meter had failed and estimated usage. The homeowner states he has been living elsewhere for over a year. In this calculation staff recommends abating bill #767900 entirely. Staff recommended an abatement of -$412.40. 24 Fiske Road The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #758181. The meter was replaced with an outread of 4084 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU and derived usage of 18 hcf. The excess 2 units will be captured in the spring bill run. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,490.80 216 Follen Road The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #759264. The meter was replaced with an outread of 1077 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU back to the last A read on 9/14/12 and derived usage for the 2 billing periods. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,202.80. 6 Freeman Circle The homeowners filed an abatement application on bill #754911 which was estimated. The meter outread on 10/17/13 was 5376 indicating we had over estimated. We went back to the last M read on 11/7/11, established ADU and derived usage. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,219.68. 109 Grove Street Staff was concerned that this meter might be failing because the usage had gone down. When we were unable to obtain a reading we estimated usage. The meter outread was 423 indicating we had over estimated the usage. We established ADU and derived usage of 21 units. Staff recommended an abatement of $1,323.56. 5 Holmes Road 4 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #764325. A radio read device was installed and the meter read 138 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU and derived usage of 28 hcf. The excess 10 units will be captured in the spring bill run. Staff recommended an abatement of $1,274.12. 111 Laconia Street This is a staff generated abatement application to reverse all billings since bill #667098. Staff suspected that the meter had failed at 1084 and had estimated usage on several billings. In fact, the house has been empty since 2009 and no water has been used. To calculate the adjustment staff simply negated all billings and recommended an abatement of -$1,576.20. 4 Lexington Avenue This recommendation was withdrawn on 11/21/13 when an error in calculation was found. The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #758993. The meter was replaced with an outread of 1929 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU and derived usage of 16 hcf. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,397.87. 212 Marrett Road This account was over estimated on bill# 759342. The meter was removed 11/8/2013 with an outread of 7143. We went back to the "M" reading from 3/14/13, established ADU and derived usage of 87 for bill # 759342. Because this is a 3 family residence, the first 120 units are billed at tier one rates therefore the entire usage was recalculated at tier one rates. The Assessor's database confirms this property as 2-3 family. Staff recommends an abatement of -$832.23. 640 Marrett Road The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #768967. A radio read device was installed on 12/06/13 and the meter read was 82 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU from the postcard read on 5/2/12 and derived a total usage of 61 hcf. The usage is redistributed over three billing periods and the additional 5 units will be billed in the spring. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,802.93. 8 Patterson Road The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #752313. The meter was replaced with an outread of 190 indicating we had over estimated their usage. In fact, no water was used and staff recommends abating bill # 752313 entirely. Staff recommended an abatement of -$633.00. 5 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 22 Potter Pond The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #760079. The meter was replaced with an outread of 1710 indicating we had over estimated their usage. We established ADU and derived usage of 7 hcf. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,490.63. 18 Tarbell Avenue The homeowner applied for an abatement on bill # 735003. The meter was replaced on 9/23/13 with an outread of 949 indicating we had over estimated the usage. We went back to the postcard read on 10/1/2010, established ADU and derived usage. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,716.61. It was moved by Mr. Osten, seconded by Mr. Ribich and voted unanimously to approve staff recommendations for all abatements based on over estimation. Irrigation on Domestic 55 Asbury Street The homeowner filed for an abatement on bill #766710 citing irrigation on a domestic meter. She understands this is a one time only abatement of its type. Due to an injury, she was unable to go to the basement to adjust the irrigation system. Staff also found and adjusted a toilet leaking in overflow. 70% of the water used in excess of the average is recalculated at irrigation rates. Because the total usage to be billed for water and sewer did not exceed 40 units, the leak is not taken into account. Staff recommended an abatement of -$217.23. 430 Concord Avenue The homeowner filed for an abatement on bill #770045 citing irrigation on a domestic meter. However, this board and subsequently the BOS approved a one time only irrigation on a domestic meter abatement on bill #704784. Further, no food faith payment has been made and bill #755856 remains unpaid. Staff recommended denial of this abatement. 5 Phinney Road The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #731435 citing irrigation on a domestic meter. They understand this is a one time only abatement of its type. We waited until after the fall bill run to establish average usage at 49. 70% of the water used in excess of the average is recalculated at irrigation rates. Staff recommended an abatement of -$658.67. 11 Richard Road 6 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #721870 citing irrigation on a domestic meter. They sated they has just purchased the property and decided to do some heavy landscaping. They understand this is a one time only abatement of its type. We waited until after the fall bill run to establish average usage. 70% of the water used in excess of the average is recalculated at irrigation rates. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,756.75. It was moved by Mr. Osten, seconded by Mr. Wood and voted unanimously to approve all staff recommendations for Irrigation on Domestic abatements as presented. Billing/Meter Issues 07 ǂǚǎǖǡǔǗǗǐ ƱǡǐǙǠǐ J ƴǚǘǐǞǟǔǎ Staff confirmed that the domestic meter and irrigation meter were reversed. In this calculation we substituted the usage from the correct meter. Staff recommended an abatement of -$1,568.46. 07 ǂǚǎǖǡǔǗǗǐ J ƹǝǝǔǒǌǟǔǚǙ Staff confirmed that the domestic meter and irrigation meter were reversed. In this calculation we substituted the usage from the correct meter. Staff recommended a positive adjustment of $411.16. 26 Solomon Pierce Road The new homeowner filed an application on bill # 760808. The bill should have been pulled from the bill run but was not because the final read predated the reading taken for the bill run. The result is the new owners were charged for the same water the previous owners paid for at closing. Staff recommended abating bill # 760808 entirely. 3 Turning Mill Road The homeowner filed for an abatement on bill #754103. On 6/10/13 a radio read device was installed and the meter reading was 0082 indicating we had over estimated usage. We established ADU from the Manual read of 0002 taken on 11/4/2011 and derived usage. We have applied the 30% rate subsidy reduction. Originally, this abatement was approved by this board at $821.84. However, that calculation was incorrect because it did not deduct for the rate subsidy. Further, when the abatement was applied to the account, it was reduced by 30% to $585.69 in error. This calculation applies the rate subsidy to all three bills and deducts the amount previously adjusted. Staff recommended an abatement of -$454.37. It was moved by Mr. Osten, seconded by Mr. Ribich and voted unanimously to approve all staff recommendations for billing/meter issues abatements as presented 7 Draft Minutes Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 December 19, 2013 Schedule next meeting The board will next meet on Thursday January 23, 2014 with a snow date of February 13, 2014. Adjourn It was moved by Mr. Ribich, seconded by Mr. Osten and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 5:58 PM. 8