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Minutes of the Meeting 9/10/15
Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board
201 Bedford Street
Lexington, MA 02420
Approved 10/15/15
Attendance:
BoardMembers:LorenWood,ChairpersonandJimOsten,Member.Staff:RobAddelson,Assistant
TownmanagerforFinance,BillHadley,DPWDirector,RalphPecora,Water/SewerSuperintendent,and
ElizabethTuckerandRobinFullford,UtilityBilling.
4:30pmCallmeetingtoorder
LorenWoodcalledthemeetingtoorderat4:30pm.
StatusReportofAbatementRequests
12Recommendationstobeheardtonight
41Recommendationsonholdforhistoryordocumentation
Reviewthreeyearhistoryofabatements
ReviewMinutesoftheAugust13,2015meetingforapproval
ItwasmovedbyMr.Osten,secondedbyMr.WoodandvotedunanimouslytoapprovetheMinutesof
theMeetingofAugust13,2015aspresented.
Appeals:
5:00PM
MeetwithSyedRizvi,theownerof237WorthenRoadEast.Hehasappealedtheboards7/23/15
decisiontodenyanabatementintheabsenceofleaks.
Mr.Rizvitoldtheboardthathehadfoundevidencethatahosewasleftconnectedandslightly
winter.Theabatementwillberecalculatedandbecausetheleakdidnotenterthe
onduringthe
sewer,nosewerwillbechargedontheleakedwater.Staffwillbringanewrecommendationto
theboardattheOctobermeeting.
5:15PM
MeetwithJacobHandwerker,theownerof17PineknollRoad.Hehasappealedtheboards
8/13/15decisiontodenyanabatementintheabsenceofleaks.
Mr.Handwerkerandhiswifemetwiththeboard.Hehadexpectedthatwewouldhavetested
themeterandwasverydisappointed.Howeverheprovidedevidencethattherewasanoutside
winterafterall.Theabatementwillberecalculatedandbecausetheleakdidnot
leakduringthe
enterthesewer,nosewerwillbechargedontheleakedwater.Staffwillbringanewrecom
mendationtotheboardattheOctobermeeting.
5:30PM
MeetwithShayneHolland,theownerof15TaftAvenue.Hehasappealedtheamountrecom
mendedforaleakbasedabatement.
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Minutes of the Meeting 9/10/15
Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board
201 Bedford Street
Lexington, MA 02420
Approved 10/15/15
Mr.Hollandmetwiththeboardandaskedforfurtherconsiderationonhisleakbasedabate
ment.HoweverwithnonewevidenceMr.Woodexplainedthatthisboardhastheauthorityto
recalculateleakedwaterattieroneratesonly.HeexplainedthattheTownhasalreadypaidfor
thewaterandsewerusageandthattieroneratesrepresentabreakevenpointfortheTown.
Mr.Hollandthanksmembersoftheboardfortheirtime.
AbatementRequestsforConsideration
Leaks
10CentreStreet
The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #808862 for irrigation on a domestic meter. In June
of 2015 they found and repaired a leaking outside faucet. They have reapplied for a leak-based
abatement. The average fall usage is 56; we recalculated the excess usage at tier one water rates.
The balance to be abated is $74.14.
44EldredStreet
This property was rented until recently. The tenant left a running hose connected over the winter.
The only pre-leak history the tenant had with us was from 6/24/14 to 10/31/14 so staff derived us-
age for Bill #823103. All usage was recalculated at tier one water rates and only 20 units were cal-
culated at sewer rates. Also staff estimated Bill #786243 believing that the meter has failed. In fact
the house was empty and outread at 369 shows zero usage. Staff recommended abating Bill #
786243 down to zero. Staff recommended a total abatement of $2,774.44.
10RossRoad
The owner filed for an abatement on Bill #822020. A plumber replaced flappers and adjusted levels
in 2 toilets. An invoice was provided. The average spring usage is 48; we recalculated all but 8 units
at tier one rates. Staff recommended an abatement of $762.82.
5WhitmanCircle
The homeowners applied for an abatement on Bill #3276 due to a leak in their irrigation system.
They provided a plumber's receipt. The average fall usage is established at 9 units; all but 9 units
have been recalculated at tier one rates. Also on 5/6/14 the meter was replaced with an outread of
0038 indicating we had billed incorrectly and overestimated usage. Staff confirmed that the Touch-
pad reading obtained on 10/5/2012 was actually 0032 but cannot explain why the reading was
changed to 74. We calculated ADU and derived annual usage for 2012 and 2013 fall bills. Staff rec-
ommended an abatement of $1,432.96.
43YorkStreet
The homeowners filed for an abatement on bill #s 820125 and 3721. They provided an invoice for
repair of a leaking toilet. The average spring usage is 49; we recalculated all but 9 units at tier one
rates. The average fall usage is 42; we recalculated all but 2 units at tier one rates. The meter was
replaced 8/11/15 with an outread of 1749 indicating the usage is back down to normal limits. Staff
recommended an abatement of $935.88.
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Minutes of the Meeting 9/10/15
Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board
201 Bedford Street
Lexington, MA 02420
Approved 10/15/15
ItwasmovedbyMr.Osten,secondedbyMr.WoodandvotedunanimouslytoapproveallLeakBased
Abatementrequests.
IrrigationonaDomesticMeter
16WillowStreet
This property was a tear down. During construction, only the domestic meter had been installed and
extensive landscaping was irrigated. 70% of the total usage has been recalculated at irrigation
rates. Staff recommended an abatement of $2,394.80.
ItwasmovedbyMr.Osten,secondedbyMr.WoodandvotedunanimouslytoapproveallIrrigation
onaDomesticMeterAbatementrequests
Billing/MeterIssues
29BlossomcrestStreet
The homeowners filed for an abatement on Bill #815037. We were unable to obtain readings and
estimated Bill #s 815037 and 805587. The meter was changed on 5/26/15 with an outread of 0712
indicating a redistribution. Staff established ADU and redistributed the usage over two billing peri-
ods. The replaced usage has been captured for the fall billing. Staff recommended an abatement of
$50.10. However, the homeowner subsequently found a toilet leak, had it repaired and provided a
receipt. The original recommendation did not go to the selectmen. Spring and fall averages are 36
and 40; all usage was recalculated at tier one rates. Staff recommended an abatement of $279.50.
23CedarStreet
This is a staff-generated abatement recommendation. After a year of no usage staff estimated us-
age at 40 hcf. The bill remains unpaid and staff have reported the house is empty. Staff recom-
mended abating Bill #767052 altogether in the amount of $412.40.
23FairbanksRoad
This account had been estimated for years. On 7/13/15 we replaced the meter with an outread of
2725 indicating we had overestimated usage. Going back to the last M read on 11/30/2011 we es-
tablished ADU and derived usage. The replaced usage of 12 hcf has been captured for the fall bill
run. All bills are paid in full. Staff recommended an abatement of $2,954.26. However the home-
owner has not responded to repeated requests to return a signed application and Mr. Addelson rec-
ommended making a further attempt with certified mail. Staff withdrew the recommendation.
16SaddleClub
Staffwillbringa
An error was found in the calculation and staff withdrew this recommendation.
newrecommendationtotheboardattheOctobermeeting.
5WhitmanCircle
The homeowners called about bill # 782856. The meter was replaced on 5/06/14 with an outread of
153 indicating that the meter had failed sometime after bill # 699197.We waited to complete 2 billing
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Minutes of the Meeting 9/10/15
Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board
201 Bedford Street
Lexington, MA 02420
Approved 10/15/15
cycles to establish average usage and redistributed accordingly. Staff recommended an abatement
of $4,577.30.
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Minutes of the Meeting 9/10/15
Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board
201 Bedford Street
Lexington, MA 02420
Approved 10/15/15
243WoodStreet
This is a staff-generated abatement recommendation. After several years of estimates we installed wire
and pad and that produced a large catchup bill. In this calculation we calculated ADU and derived us-
age. This account goes to lien most years. However the homeowner has not responded to repeated re-
quests to return a signed application and Mr. Addelson recommended making a further attempt with
Staffwillbringanewrecommendationtothe
certified mail. Staff withdrew the recommendation.
boardattheOctobermeeting.
ItwasmovedbyMr.Osten,secondedbyMr.WoodandvotedunanimouslytoapproveBilling/Meter
IssueAbatementrequestsfor29BlossomcrestStreet,23CedarStreetand5WhitmanCircle.
Schedulefuturemeetingtimes
ThenextmeetingwillbeheldonThursdayOctober15,2015at4:30at201BedfordStreet.
Adjourn
ItwasmovedbyMr.Osten,secondedbyMr.Woodandapprovedunanimouslytoadjournthemeeting
at5:30pm.
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