Daleville Water Board reviews adjustment policy

What parameters should be used to decide whether to approve a water bill adjustment request was a question before the Daleville Water Board at the meeting Jan. 19.

“Over time, for many years, the water board has made (water bill) adjustments after requests from customers who need a little help,” Daleville Water Board Attorney Henry Steagall said. “I think it’s gotten out of hand a little bit.

“Really what you are supposed to be doing on adjustments is if there has been some sort of unexpected major event, like a hurricane or tornado or flood, that’s when you consider an adjustment,” Steagall explained. “If somebody’s toilet is leaking and they don’t fix it and they have a $60 water bill instead of a $40 water bill, that is not cause, in my opinion, for an adjustment. It’s negligence or inattention on their part and it’s costing the water board money.

“You have an obligation to your bond holders,” Steagall added. “You have pledged to them that you will pay off those bonds and there is just a lot of legal reasons why you shouldn’t just be adjusting these small claims when it is nothing but inattention involved.”

Steagall presented a proposed resolution for review and the board was asked to present any suggested changes to the proposed resolution to Daleville City Clerk Angelia Filmore.

The proposed resolution included what parameters the board should consider before approving a bill adjustment. “You want to help people but a lot of water systems are not as lenient as you are,” Steagall said. “If there is an adjustment to be made, it should be something major.”

The board decided to table the decision until they have an opportunity to read the proposed resolution and discuss it at a work session.

The next meeting of the Daleville Water Board is a work session that begins at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Daleville City Hall. The work session will be followed by a voting meeting at 5 p.m. on the same day. The meetings are open to the public.