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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-11-20-WSAB-min Approved Minutes of the Meeting 11/20/14 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 Attendance: Board Members: Loren Wood, Chairperson, Jim Osten, Member and Bill Ribich, Member. Staff: Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance and Robin Fullford, Utility Billing. Loren Wood called the meeting to order at 4:35 pm. The order of business was conducted as follows: Approval of Minutes of the Meeting It was moved by Mr. Osten, seconded by Mr. Ribich and approved unanimously to approve the minutes of the September 18, 2014 as amended. Status Report of Abatement Requests Ms. Fullford presented the following status report: 1Appeal 12Tobeheardtonight 63Onholdforhistoryordocumentation 76Total Appeals 5BruceRoadΑ5:00pm Thehomeownerappealedtotheboardformorereductionstotheaccount.Mr.Woodtoldthe HomeownerthatwerelyonourmeterstoaccuratelyrecordusageandbecausetheTownhas alreadypaidforthatusage,thecostattieroneratesmustbepaidbythehomeowners.The appealwasdenied. Abatement Requests for Consideration: Leaks 31BartlettAvenue ThehomeownerappliedforanabatementonBill#803490.Hefoundthat2toiletswereleaking andprovidedaplumber'sinvoiceforrepair.Theaveragefallusageis13;werecalculatedall usageattieronerates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof$248.00. 519LowellStreet Thisisatwofamilyresidence.Thehomeownercalledabouttheirbalanceandmentionedthat theyhadhadatoiletleaklastyear.TheywerenotawareoftheTown'spolicytooffer abatementsanddidnotknowtosavethepartsreceipt.Theyappliedforanabatementonbill #763607.Becausethefirst80hcfarechargedattieronerateswerecalculatedallusageattier onerates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof$60.90. 112SpringStreet 1 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 11/20/14 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 Thehomeownersmovedoutofstateafewmonthsago.Whenthefinalreadwastakeon 10/14/14themeterindicatedausage264hcf.Thehomeownerscalledinaplumberwhofounda sillcockleakingbadly.Theplumbercalledstafftodetermineiftheamountofwaterusedwas feasible.Wedeterminedthatthewaterleakedatarateof1gpmandagreedtheusageis feasible.Staffalsofoundabrokenirrigationpipe.The3yearaveragefallusageis24;we ratesbecause recalculatedallusageattieronewaterratesandonly24unitsattieronesewer theleakdidnotenterthesewersystem.Staffrecommendedanabatementof$4,670.08. 30WatertownStreetΑWithdrawn It was moved by Mr. Osten, seconded by Mr. Ribich and voted unanimously to approve the leak- based abatement recommendations as presented with the exception of 30 Water Town Street which was withdrawn for further review. OverEstimated 15GoffeRoad ThisisastaffgeneratedabatementonBill#s804656whichhadbeenestimatedaftermany requeststoinstallaradioreaddeviceandBill#806952afinalbilldated11/3/14.Becausethe finalreadwaslowerthanthepreviousreadanegativefinalbillwascreatedwhichreducedthe balancedue.ThiscalculationestablishesADUandredistributestheusage.Theabatementisfor theformerowner.Aradioreaddevicewasinstalledatthetimeoftheclosing.Staff recommendedanabatementof$453.80. 255MarrettRoad ThisisastaffgeneratedabatementrecommendationonBill#805186.Thishousehasbeen emptyforsometimeandstaffmadetheerrorofestimatingusage.Staffrecommendedabating bill#805186entirely. It was moved by Mr. Ribich, seconded by Mr. Osten and voted unanimously to accept staff recommendations for abatements based on overestimated bills. Billing/MeterIssues 10PageRoad ThehomeownersfiledforanabatementonBill#804034.StaffmadeameterIDcorrectionwhich causedthemetertostartatzeroinsteadofthepreviousreadof269.Thiscalculationbillsthe correctusageof22units.Staffrecommendedanabatementof$1,834.58. It was moved by Mr. Ribich, seconded by Mr. Wood and voted unanimously to accept staff recommendations for abatements based on Billing/Meter Issues IrrigationonaDomesticMeter 2 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 11/20/14 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 11AllenStreet Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#805550afterinstallinganewlawnlastspring. Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessof theaverageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof$205.34. 38BuckmanDrive Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#804708statingtheyhadwateredheavilynot knowingthattheiroutsidefaucetisnottiedintotheirirrigationmeter.Theyaretakingstepsto correctthisandtheyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%ofthewater usedinexcessofthespringisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatement of$203.00. 23DeeringAvenue Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#766049forirrigationonadomesticmeter.They alsorepairedatoiletleakbutdidnotsavethereceipt.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonly abatementforirrigationonadomesticmeter.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessoftheaverageis recalculatedatirrigationrates.Also30%oftheexcessisrecalculatedattieronerates.Staff recommendedanabatementof$1,892.79. 221FollenRoad Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#805102statingtheyinstalledsodinearly summerandwereunawarethattheTownallowsseparateirrigationmeters.Theyhavesincehad anirrigationmeterinstalled.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%of thewaterusedinexcessoftheaverageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedan abatementof$86.85 164MarrettRoad Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#805164.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonly meter abatementofitstype.Theyhadextensivelandscapingdoneandplantoinstallanirrigation inthespring.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessoftheaverageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates. Staffrecommendedanabatementof$1,186.27. It was moved by Mr. Ribich, seconded by Mr. Wood and voted unanimously to accept staff recommendations for abatements based on Billing/Meter Issues Schedule future meeting times TheboardwillnextmetDecember18,2014. Adjourn 3 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 11/20/14 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 It was moved by Mr. Wood, seconded by Mr. Ribich and voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 5:25 pm. 4