July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Redkey to tough up on billing (9/13/05)
Council president says she has been threatened
By By Robert Banser-
REDKEY — Town council president Violet Erlenbush said Tuesday she is pushing for stricter enforcement of water and sewer billing regulations in the community.
Allowing people to continue to receive town water and sewer services while their accounts are in arrears is no longer going to be tolerated, she said.
"It's not fair to the people who pay their bills on time," she said.
Erlenbush said she has received some threats in recent weeks over the water billing situation from people who are behind in their payments and apparently want to stay that way.
Erlenbush said that initially some people came forward, showing good intentions to pay their past-due bills. But that was followed by others who made threats, and the need to have Redkey police officers accompany town workers to homes with delinquent bills or where water meters had apparently been tampered with.
"Now we're going to have to get a lot tougher," Erlenbush said.
She added that she planned to talk to town attorney John Brooke to see how the town could get more serious about making past due collections. "I've been physically threatened," she said, adding that the names on delinquent water billing accounts should be made known to town council members and other Redkey officials.
Erlenbush said that a special executive session of the town council has been called for 10 a.m. Friday at town hall. The topic will be litigation, either pending or anticipated, and town Brooke is expected to be present.
“We’ve got to get a closure to it,” she said. “All of the town’s policies haven’t been followed properly. ... It’s getting pretty ugly over here.
“I don’t regret trying the nice approach and a lot of people did try to make things right, but the nice approach is over,” she said. In the past Redkey has had a reputation of negotiating with people over delinquent bills instead of following proper procedures.
“We have got to come up with a better way of running things,” Erlenbush said.
Also the town will need stricter fines and rules to prevent water meter tampering, the town council president said, indicating that she didn't expect this to be a pleasant task.
Redkey town marshal Donnie James vowed to have his department work to prevent any problems, telling Erlenbush, "If any board members or employees are threatened, call the police."
"This is all going to change," Erlenbush said, emphasizing that town officials planned to monitor the water and sewer billing situation a lot closer.
In other business at Saturday morning’s budget hearing and special meeting, council members approved first reading of the town's budget estimate for 2006 without any changes. The estimated expenditures total $400,788. Another special meeting to adopt the budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, in town hall.
Also Saturday morning, the council reviewed a letter of resignation from Redkey deputy marshal Kenneth Haines, and then authorized James and clerk-treasurer Brenda Adkins to advertise the job to find a replacement.
In other business town council members agreed with a recommendation from James to spend $300 to upgrade the police communications system.
James added that he also wanted to publicly thank The Portland Foundation and Jay County Hospital for donating two new defibrillator units to his department which could be used by police in health emergency situations.
In addition to meeting Friday and on Sept. 20 to approve the 2006 budget, the council will hold its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19 in Redkey Town Hall.[[In-content Ad]]
Allowing people to continue to receive town water and sewer services while their accounts are in arrears is no longer going to be tolerated, she said.
"It's not fair to the people who pay their bills on time," she said.
Erlenbush said she has received some threats in recent weeks over the water billing situation from people who are behind in their payments and apparently want to stay that way.
Erlenbush said that initially some people came forward, showing good intentions to pay their past-due bills. But that was followed by others who made threats, and the need to have Redkey police officers accompany town workers to homes with delinquent bills or where water meters had apparently been tampered with.
"Now we're going to have to get a lot tougher," Erlenbush said.
She added that she planned to talk to town attorney John Brooke to see how the town could get more serious about making past due collections. "I've been physically threatened," she said, adding that the names on delinquent water billing accounts should be made known to town council members and other Redkey officials.
Erlenbush said that a special executive session of the town council has been called for 10 a.m. Friday at town hall. The topic will be litigation, either pending or anticipated, and town Brooke is expected to be present.
“We’ve got to get a closure to it,” she said. “All of the town’s policies haven’t been followed properly. ... It’s getting pretty ugly over here.
“I don’t regret trying the nice approach and a lot of people did try to make things right, but the nice approach is over,” she said. In the past Redkey has had a reputation of negotiating with people over delinquent bills instead of following proper procedures.
“We have got to come up with a better way of running things,” Erlenbush said.
Also the town will need stricter fines and rules to prevent water meter tampering, the town council president said, indicating that she didn't expect this to be a pleasant task.
Redkey town marshal Donnie James vowed to have his department work to prevent any problems, telling Erlenbush, "If any board members or employees are threatened, call the police."
"This is all going to change," Erlenbush said, emphasizing that town officials planned to monitor the water and sewer billing situation a lot closer.
In other business at Saturday morning’s budget hearing and special meeting, council members approved first reading of the town's budget estimate for 2006 without any changes. The estimated expenditures total $400,788. Another special meeting to adopt the budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, in town hall.
Also Saturday morning, the council reviewed a letter of resignation from Redkey deputy marshal Kenneth Haines, and then authorized James and clerk-treasurer Brenda Adkins to advertise the job to find a replacement.
In other business town council members agreed with a recommendation from James to spend $300 to upgrade the police communications system.
James added that he also wanted to publicly thank The Portland Foundation and Jay County Hospital for donating two new defibrillator units to his department which could be used by police in health emergency situations.
In addition to meeting Friday and on Sept. 20 to approve the 2006 budget, the council will hold its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19 in Redkey Town Hall.[[In-content Ad]]
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