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[I. COMMENCEMENT]
HEREBY GIVING A COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY, APRIL THE 10TH, 2025 AT 7:00 PM IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF THE FLUTE CITY HALL, LOCATED ATFOR THE BELOW LISTED ITEMS, CITY COUNCIL RESERVES A RIDE TO ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT ANY TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING TO DISCUSS ANY MATTERS LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS AUTHORIZED BY THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, INCLUDING MONO LIMITED TO SECTIONS 5 5 1 0 7 1.
CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY.
DELIBERATION ABOUT REAL PROPERTY.
DELIBERATION ABOUT GIFTS AND DONATIONS.
5 5 1 0 7 4 PERSONNEL MATTERS.
DELIBERATION ABOUT SECURITY DEVICES 5 5 1 0 8 7.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 4 1 8 7 5 1 8 3 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUES AND IS AUTHORIZED BY THE TEXAS TAX CODE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO.
SECTION 3 2 1 0.3022 SALES TAX INFORMATION.
THE AGENDA MEETING PACKET AND VIDEO LINK ARE POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE@WWW.CL TEXAS.GOV.
TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT FORM MUST BE COMPLETED AND PRESENTED TO THE CITY CLERK.
BEFORE THE START OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, SPEAKERS MUST OBSERVE THE FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
THE RECORDING OF THE VIDEO MEETING WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE PUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT MEETING HAS NOW BEEN CALLED TO ORDER MR. BOND.
MR. KEENY, ONE OF Y'ALL WANT TO BLESS US.
COMMUNITY, OUR CITY, OUR CITIZENS.
JOIN US IN THE PLA PLEASE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
I HAVE ROLL CALL OF COUNSEL, CALVIN SHIP.
PRESENT FRANCIS VAUGHN PRESENT.
NEXT ITEM WOULD BE CITIZEN VISITORS COMMENTS.
[III. CONSENT AGENDA]
READ THAT AND MOVE IT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ITEMS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA OR CONSIDERED ROUTINE OR GENERALLY ENACTED IN ONE MOTION.THE EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MAY REQUEST ONE OR MORE ITEMS BE REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE ACTION.
TONIGHT'S AGENDA CONSISTS OF ITEM OF A MINUTES.
APRIL THE THIRD, 2025 AT 7:00 PM I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MOVED BY COUNCIL PERSON VAUGHN SECOND BY.
COUNCILMAN AGUILAR, ARE ANY ITEMS NEED TO BE REMOVED? ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
[IV. BUSINESS ITEMS]
INTO BUSINESS ITEMS AND FORGIVE ME BEFORE I START, BUT IT SAYS, UH, EDDIE IAN, DID I GET CLOSE?I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SABINE PASS, GALVESTON BAY FREEPORT PROJECT OUT OF THE GALVESTON DISTRICT.
UM, I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU GUYS A, UH, UPDATE, THE LATEST UPDATE OF, OF THE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE FOR THE SABINE PE OF GALVESTON BAY.
UH, FREEPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT FOR YOU GUYS.
OH, DO I HAVE CONTROL THE MAP THERE WE THANK YOU.
UM, THIS BEING PASSED TO GALVESTON BAY COASTAL STORM RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF STORM SURGE IMPACTS IN ORANGE, JEFFERSON, AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES.
TEXAS CSRM IS THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF FEATURES ALONG THE COAST THAT ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE CREATED BY STORM SURGE FROM HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS. THE S TWO G PROJECT IS COMPRISED OF THREE PROJECTS, ONE WHICH ENTAILS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SYSTEM, LEVEE SYSTEM IN SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY, AND TWO, WHICH CONSISTS OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR EXISTING SYSTEMS AT
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PORT ARTHUR AND FREEPORT DOES.THE BEAM PASS TO GALVESTON PROJECT WAS FUNDED TO COMPLETION UNDER THE BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2018, ALSO KNOWN AS BBA 18, WHICH APPROPRIATED 704 MILLION FOR THE FREEPORT PROJECT.
THE EXISTING FREEPORT HURRICANE FLOOD PROTECTION SYSTEM IS BEING EVALUATED FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS WERE NEEDED.
THE RECOMMENDED PLAN WAS TO RAISE APPROXIMATELY 13.1 MILES OF EXISTING LEVY AND CONSTRUCT APPROXIMATELY 5.5 MILES OF FLOOD WALL AND ALSO INSTALLING A NAVIGO FLOODGATE IN THE DOW BARGE CANAL TO REDUCE STORM SURGE PENETRATION.
THAT AREA, THE FINAL ELEVATIONS THAT WERE PROPOSING WOULD'VE RANGED FROM 15.8 FEET TO 23.8 FEET.
CHANGES MAY OCCUR DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE THAT RESULT IN, UH, THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS DEVELOPING A POST AUTHORIZATION CHANGE REPORT, ALSO KNOWN AS A PACKER.
THE CHANGES CAN VARY FROM COST INCREASE OR ANY MAJOR CHANGE IN THE SCOPE.
THAT WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL CHIEF'S REPORT.
FOR THE PAST YEAR, THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON A POST AUTHORIZATION CHANGE REPORT FOR FREEPORT DUE TO CHANGES IN THE SCOPE OF WORK.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PACKER WAS TO TALK, DOCUMENT THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES RESULTING FROM MODIFICATION OF THE PROJECT AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP HERE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCES THAT WAS AUTHORIZED ON THE, OH, HOW DO I GO BACK? SORRY.
ON THE LEFT DIAGRAM VERSUS THE NEW PROPOSED PLAN ON THE RIGHT, THROUGHOUT THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT BETWEEN THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR AND VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, WE ALL AGREED TO MINIMIZE THE WORK THAT WAS ORIGINALLY AUTHORIZED IN 2018.
THE NEW UPDATED SCOPE, WHICH AGAIN IS IS THE ONE ON THE RIGHT, WAS BEING PROPOSED WHEN, FROM RAISING 13.1 MILES OF LEVY TO APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES AND UPDATING FIVE MILES OF FLOOD WAT TO APPROXIMATELY TWO.
THE FLOODGATE AT THE DOW BAR CANAL WAS STILL BEING PROPOSED.
I'LL, I'LL GET IT BY THE TIME I'M ON THE LAST LINE.
I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU OF THE CURRENT PROJECT STATUS AND THE FUTURE OF THE PROJECT.
THE PROJECT HAS CURRENTLY BEEN ON A SUSPENSION STATUS SINCE LAST APRIL OF 2024, AND WE ARE MOVING TO FINALIZING AND CLOSING THE PROJECT.
THE REASONING FOR CLOSEOUT HAS BEEN DUE TO THE REQUEST OF OUR NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR OF THE VELASCO DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
THE, THE NEXT PLAN THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE GONNA DO ON, ON THE CLOSING OUT OF THE PROJECT, WE'RE GONNA DO SEVERAL THINGS.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON A LEVEE SCREENING TOO, THERE IN OUR DISTRICT, WHICH IS A WEB-BASED TWO, WHICH WILL BE USED TO QUANTIFY THE RISK ESTIMATES OF THE LEVEE SYSTEM.
THIS TWO ASSESSES THE LIKELY GLUE, THE FLOOD LOADING, THE EXPECTED PERFORMANCES OF THE LEVEE UNDER THESE LOADS AND ANY POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A BREACH OR OVERTOP.
WE'RE LOOKING TO COMPLETE THIS LEVEE SCREENING TO AN APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS.
ALSO, WE'RE WORKING ON A MORE ROBUST, UM, SEMI QUANTITATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT.
THIS ASSESSMENT WILL BE THROUGH OUR LEVEE SAFETY OVERSIGHT GROUP, WHICH INCLUDES LEVY INSPECTIONS.
THIS PROCESS IS REGULARLY DONE ON EACH FEDERAL AUTHORIZED LEVY AT A MINIMUM OF ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS, WHICH THE LAST ONE WAS BEING COMPLETED IN 2016.
THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETION IN APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE YEARS.
WITH THAT ALSO, VDD WILL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH US, WITH THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
IT'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEIR STAKEHOLDERS AND MAKE ANY NECESSARY UPDATES TO THEIR SYSTEM.
UNDER THE US H 4 0 8 PROCESS, THIS PROJECT WILL NOT BE DEED, SO IT'LL STILL BE, UH, UNDER THE AUTH AUTHORIZATION OF CONGRESS.
AND IN THE FUTURE, IF EITHER VDD OR ANY OTHER NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE THAN GLAD TO.
WE NEED TO START ALL OVER AGAIN.
THE PROCESS WITH A BRAND NEW PPA.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO CONTINUE TO LOOK, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND OUR STORY MAP FOR ANY OTHER UPDATES, NOT ONLY WITH THE FREEPORT SYSTEM, BUT ALSO WITH THE PORT ARTHUR AND ORANGE.
SO THOSE ARE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND WITH THAT, AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS? BASICALLY IT JUST ON HOLD, HUH? SO IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE, WE'RE WORKING ON CLOSING IT OUT AND WE, WE WON'T CONSTRUCT ANYTHING, AT LEAST NOT WITH, THROUGH, THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR PROCESS.
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SO YOU SAID YOU WON'T CONSTRUCT ANYTHING? THAT'S CORRECT, YES, SIR.ANY, ANY UPDATES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE.
VDD WOULD NEED TO DO 'EM THROUGH, THROUGH THE 4 0 8 PROCESS AND THERE'LL BE NO FEDERAL FUNDS BEING USED FOR THAT.
BUT AT A FUTURE DATE, A A FUTURE DATE, THEY COULD COME BACK AND THERE COULD BE SOME, IF SO, SO LET'S SAY NEXT YEAR THEY DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE PROJECT.
UH, WE WILL NEED TO DO A, A NEW, UH, PPA, UH, PROJECT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.
AND WITH THAT, IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE THAT THE MONEY WILL STILL BE THERE.
SO WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO, TO GO AND COMPETE THROUGH THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET WITH, WITH, UH, NEW FUNDING.
SO, SO IS THIS JUST AN OBSERVANCE OF THE SITU? I GUESS I'M CONFUSED.
WHAT'S THE POINT IN REGARDS TO, TO WHY WE'RE CLOSING THE PROJECT? YES, SIR.
UH, WE'RE JUST HERE TO INFORM YOU GUYS SO THAT WAY THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE CAME A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE DID A PUBLIC MEETING TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THE UPDATES THAT WE WERE DOING.
WE, THIS IS COMMON COURTESY TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS THROUGH THIS FEDERAL PROJECT IS NO LONGER BEING BUILT HERE IN FREEPORT.
THE ORANGE SYSTEM ARE STILL MOVING FORWARD, BUT THE FREEPORT SYSTEM WILL NOT.
HOW MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT ON THE FREEPORT PROJECT SO FAR? SO WE SPENT, UM, A TOTAL OF $77.5 MILLION TO, TO DO DESIGN.
UM, OF THAT TO TOTAL OF 77.5 TO 60.6 WAS FEDERAL.
AND 16.8 WAS FROM OUR NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR.
'CAUSE WITH THE PARTNERSHIP, IT IS THE 65 35 COST SHARE.
65 FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE, 35 FROM THE NON-FEDERAL.
SO WE SPENT A TOTAL OF 77 MILLION, 77.5.
UM, WITH THAT WE DID APPROXIMATELY IN SEVERAL SECTIONS ABOUT 90% DESIGN, 60% DESIGN AND OTHERS.
WE ALSO, IN THE PAST YEAR, LIKE I I MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE SLIDES, WE WERE WORKING THROUGH OUR POST AUTHORIZATION CHANGE REQUESTS.
'CAUSE WE WERE CHANGING THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
SO $77 MILLION WERE SPENT ON JUST REPORT.
WELL, SO ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE, WE ALSO DID FIELD INVESTIGATIONS AS IT SURVEYS, GEOTECH WORK.
SO ALL THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE.
UM, IT WE PROVIDED TO THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR FOR THEIR USE OR HISTORICAL USAGE.
UH, WE COULD USE IT IN THE FUTURE.
IT MIGHT MIGHT HELP US IN THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, OF COURSE THE LONGER WE WAIT, IF WE WERE TO REBUILD IT, WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO REDO A LOT OF THAT FEDERAL SPENDING AT ITS BEST.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, SIR.
THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE THE LAST FULFILLMENT DRAINAGE DISTRICT FOLLOW UP PRESENTATION ON THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER FREEPORT PROJECT.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU.
I AM THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR VELASCO DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
UH, WE CAME, WE WANTED TO COME BEHIND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THAT THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT IS SEEKING FURTHER AT THIS TIME.
SINCE THE S TWO G PROJECT IS BEING CLOSED OUT, WE ARE STILL CONTINUING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
UH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM THROUGH THE 4 0 8 PROCESS AND UTILIZING ALL, UH, ASSETS THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED TO US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR 4 0 8 PROJECTS.
AND SOME OF THOSE I CAN LIST OUT HERE FOR YOU TODAY ARE EAST LEVY FRONTAL PUMP STATION, WHICH AT ITS CURRENT CAPACITY IS 1,240,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPGRADING THAT, ADDING ADDITIONAL THREE ENGINES, THREE GEAR BOXES, THREE PUMPS, INCREASING ITS CAPACITY TO 2,050,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
IT'LL BE OUR LARGEST PUMP STATION.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO A PLAN IN PLACE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS AND ONGOING IS REPLACING ALL OUR OLD ENGINES.
SO SOME OF OUR ENGINES HAVE EXCEEDED THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY, MEANING THAT THEIR PARTS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED.
THE COMPANY NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THEM.
SO WE ARE UPGRADING ALL OUR ENGINE PROCESS.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT PUMP STATION
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TO RECEIVE NEW ENGINES IS GONNA BE NORTH FREEPORT, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THE NEXT PUMP STATION AFTER THAT.ALL THIS IS BEING BUDGETED CURRENTLY UNDER CURRENT FUNDS.
SO WE HAVE THE ASSETS IN PLACE, THE BUDGET IN PLACE TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, WE'RE ALSO RAISING THE LEVIES.
WE DID, AND THIS IS PART OF OUR FEMA CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE FEDERAL PORTION.
WE HAVE A NON-FEDERAL PORTION OF THE LEVEE SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY FEMA CERTIFIED.
THE 43 MILES THAT IS FEDERAL LEVEE IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FEMA CERTIFIED.
AND THAT PROCESS REQUIRES RAISING SOME OF THE LE LEVEES.
AND IT'S ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TENTHS OF AN INCH TO A FOOT AND A HALF.
AND WE'VE ALREADY RAISED 1.37 MILES AN OYSTER CREEK LEVEE SYSTEM.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS AS WE SPEAK, RAISING NORTH BARGE CANAL LEVEE SYSTEM FROM FOUR TENTHS OF AN INCH TO A FOOT AND A HALF.
AND THIS IS JUST A PERIOD OVER TIME OF SUBSIDENCE.
THE LEVEE SYSTEM'S PRETTY OLD SINCE BACK IN THE SIXTIES AND IT'S HEAVY CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT'S FAIRLY NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND WE CAN DO IT.
AND WE'RE ALMOST DONE ACTUALLY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE AND WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO GET THESE PROJECTS DONE, IS TO ENSURE THAT THE LEVEE SYSTEM MAINTAINS ITS 140 YEAR STORM RATING.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M GETTING OFF WHY? I'M SORRY.
YOU'RE GETTING OFF WHY I, I GUESS I AM.
WELL, I HAD, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
I THINK WHENEVER, WHENEVER, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, AND I MIGHT NOT BE, UM, WHEN THIS WAS FIRST PRESENTED, UH, UM, BDD SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RAISE, UH, WELL THERE WAS GONNA BE A, YEAH, THERE, THERE, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A LEVY IN OR NOT TO CONFLATE LEVY HERE, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE AN INCREASE IN REVENUE RIGHT.
FOR BDD, UM, TO COVER THE, THE PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATORY COSTS IN THE, IN THE STG PROJECT.
UH, I ALSO, IF DAVID CAN CLARIFY IF I'M WRONG, THE EASTERN PORTION, ORANGE AND PORT ARTHUR, THEY'RE RECEIVING STATE MONEY, CORRECT? YES, THEY ARE CURRENTLY RE IN THE PROCESS OF PARTNER WITH THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT, WHICH, UH, OUR AREA IS NOT PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
IT WOULD REQUIRE THE ENTIRE COUNTY TO JOIN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, WE JUST COULDN'T JOIN THAT PROGRAM.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A, A TAXING ENTITY IN PLACE THAT HAS MONITORED THE SYSTEM FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
WHY ADD ANOTHER ONE FOR YOU? WELL, THE, THE ORIGINAL PROJECT INCLUDED A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE, CORRECT.
AND I LIKE THE FLOODGATE ON THE BAR CANAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN PLACE AT, AT, AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL COST THAT CORRECT.
THAT, THAT EVERYONE WOULD HAVE TO SHARE OF IT, PRESUME.
WE WOULD, IT WOULD BE A 35% COST SHARE ON VD D'S PART.
UM, MAY I ASK A QUESTION, SIR? YES.
UH, ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, UH, THEY BEEN SUBDIVISION, WE UNBELIEVABLE STORM IN THE AREA, ALL THAT GRAVITY DRAIN FROM LAKE JACKSON DOWN AROUND BY THE HIGH SCHOOL, UNDER THE RAILROAD TRACKS, COLLEGE PARK, GRAVITY FLOW CREEK.
THAT PARTICULAR DAY, THE NIGHT, WE HAD A SEVERE EYE TIDE AND IT ALL PACKED UP AND THE WATER WASN'T EVEN FLOW.
UH, I WENT AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE SOME OF THE STREETS.
UH, HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT PROCESS OR ANYTHING ON PUTTING A, A PUMP DOWN THERE TO WHERE CREEK THE CITY MOVED IN, UH, TRACTORS WITH PUMPS AND SOME OTHER STUFF, YOU ALL WENT OUT TO HELP DRAIN ON THAT? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HARVEY, IS THAT RIGHT? WHAT SIR? IS THAT HARVEY THE STORM YOU'RE REFERRING TO? UH, MAN, I'M, I'M TERRIBLE.
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BUT YES, IT WAS A BAD STORM.UH, WITH HARVEY IT WAS A VERY UNIQUE EVENT.
IT, IT DROPPED 61 INCHES TOTAL RAINFALL ON ALL OF US.
AND WITH THAT IN PLACE, WE'VE ALREADY, THAT'S PART OF OUR EAST LEVEE PUMP STATION SYSTEM WHERE WE ARE INCREASING ITS CAPACITY.
LIKE OUR TOTAL CAPACITY FOR THAT STATION WILL BECOME 2,050,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE AREA THAT'S GONNA INCREASE OUR TOTAL CAPACITY, PUMPING CAPACITY FOR THE ENTIRE JURISDICTION OF VDD TO AROUND 5 MILLION GALLONS PER MINUTE.
AND THIS IS DRAINING INTO FOREST CREEK BY MM-HMM
SO, SO THERE'S OR ANYTHING UP THERE? CAN I JUMP IN ON THAT? SURE.
SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THAT'S, THAT HAS TWO EIGHT BY EIGHT STRUCTURE.
LOT OF TIMES WE GOING DO IS STAGE, UH, TWO 30,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE PUMPS PLUS WE PUT IN TWO OF OUR BIG TRACTORS WITH THE PUMP.
WE THEN DISPERSE THE WATER ACROSS INTO, SO IS THAT GONNA BE A NATURAL PROCESS WHEN THEY PREDICT THAT STORM AND ALL? OR IS IT THAT'S AFTER THE FACT OR BEFORE? THAT'S BEFORE WE BE HERE UP WAY BEFORE THE OKAY.
AND, UH, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME TALK IN THE PAST ABOUT THAT.
THE CITY OF LAKE JACKSON DID A STUDY.
I BUT WOULD BE A GOOD PROJECT HAPPEN.
WE DOWN A LAKE VIEW THAT HAS TROUBLE.
BEST ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WEDS.
YOU HAVE A QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.
NEXT ITEM WILL BE CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 17 DASH 2025 APPROVING TO MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH MOUNT MADISON PAIN CONSULTING ENGINEERING FOR CERTAIN ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND IT WOULD BE RESOLUTION NUMBER 17 DASH 2025.
THE RESOLUTION OF CITY COUNCIL CITY OF INCLUDE TEXAS EXTENDING PROFESSIONAL MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH MCMANUS PAYNE, FORMERLY MCMANUS JOHNSON FOR THE PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES.
WHEREAS MCMANUS PAYNE ENGINEERS FORMERLY MCMANUS JOHNSON HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN VETTED AND PLACED ON THE CITY'S APPROVED ENGINEERING POOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW BASED ON THEIR EXPERTISE IN WATER AND WASTEWATER ENGINEERING SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS THE ORIGINAL MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT WAS SET FOR THREE YEARS WITH THE OPTION FOR RENEWAL.
AND WHEREAS MCMANUS PAIN IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE CITY'S WATER WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN AMONG OTHER PROJECTS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY DESIRES OF CONTINUING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH MCMANUS PAINT THROUGH THE EXTENSION OF OUR MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT, NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF CLUTE, TEXAS, THAT THE PROFESSIONAL MASTER SERVICE PLAN IS AS ATTACHED, IS HEREBY EXTENDED FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
READ PAST, ADOPTED THE 10TH DAY OF APRIL, SIGNED BY MYSELF AS THE T ROAD CLERK LEARN WE'LL BE, UH, YOU'LL RECALL LAST MONTH WE DID THIS WITH CIVIL CORPS.
AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH, UH, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, THEY'RE, WHEN WE ADOPTED THE ENGINEERING SERVICES POOL AND ENTERED INTO THE ORIGINAL MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENTS, WE RENEWED 2022 FOR THREE YEARS.
WE'RE RUNNING OUT THOSE CLOCKS.
UH, FOR THESE, I THINK WE HAVE TWO MORE FIRMS THAT'LL BE COMING UP NEXT MONTH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WHOSE, UH, MSAS WILL EXPIRE.
UH, WE WANT TO KEEP THEM ON MCMANUS.
PAIN HAS BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB FOR US.
UH, AND SO WE'LL RELET THE RFQ FOR ENGINEERING AGAIN THIS FALL.
UH, BUT WHEN WE, IN THE INTERIM, WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE.
SO CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 17 DASH 2025.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION MADE BY COUNT PERSON MATTER SECOND BY
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I'LL SECOND COUNCILPERSON BOND.ANY DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTION OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN THE VOTE.
NEXT ITEM WOULD BE CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 18 DASH 2025 REGARDING FEES FOR THE COLLECTION OF MATTRESSES AND OTHER BULKY ITEMS. AND IT WOULD BE RESOLUTION NUMBER 18 DASH 2025.
A RESOLUTION OF C CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF INCLUDE TEXAS REJECTING ITEMIZED RATE FEE INCREASED REQUESTED BY WASTE CONNECTION AND SEA BREEZE LANDFILL FOR MATTRESS DISPOSAL.
WHEREAS IN 2008, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF INCLUDE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH ITS FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN MISSOURI COUNTY CLEAN CITY COALITION ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR DISPOSAL SERVICES WITH REPUBLIC WASTE FOR ACCESS TO THE SEA BREEZE LANDFILL.
AND WHEREAS IN 2009, REPUBLIC TRANSFERRED ITS OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THE LANDFILL TO WASTE CONNECTIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATED AN ANNUAL RATE ADJUSTED CALCULATED ON THE CURRENT CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, WHEREAS WASTE CONNECTION HAS REQUESTED THE INSTITUTION OF A FEE FOR THE COLLECTION AND DISPOSABLE MATTRESSES OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL RATE ADJUSTED ADJUSTMENT PROCESS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY UDE BELIEVES THAT THIS, THE IMPOSITION OF THIS FEE WOULD PLACE A HARDSHIP ON THE CITY AND ITS CUSTOMERS, WHEREAS THE CITY FLU BELIEVES AT ANY RATE ADJUSTMENT SHOULD FOLLOW THE SPIRIT OF THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS SET AGREEMENT IS REVISED OR REPLACED.
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CL TEXAS HEREBY REJECTS THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL FEE IN EXCESS OF THE ANNUAL RATE ADJUSTMENT FOLLOWING IN THE SPIRIT OF THE 2008 AGREEMENT PASSED, ADOPTED THIS 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025, APPROVED BY MYSELF AND I TESTED BY ROSIE
SO THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF OUR, UH, SOMEWHAT MUDDIED AGREEMENT OR RELATIONSHIP WITH WASTE CONNECTIONS.
THEY'RE SEEKING AN ADDITIONAL $65 PER MATTRESS THAT WE COLLECT AND THEN TRY TO DISPOSE OF THE LANDFILL.
JOHN, UH, THE, THE COUNT THE OTHER DAY WE MOVED TO 28 IN ZONE ONE AS THE TWO, WE HAD 28.
I WAS TRYING TO GET AN UPDATE.
SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL ALMOST A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN TIP THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE COULD EITHER PASS ON OR EAT.
THIS AGREEMENT IS NOW 16, ALMOST 17 YEARS OLD, MADE WITH ANOTHER AGENCY AND WE THINK IT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES NEXT DOOR IN LAKE JACKSON.
UH, THEY'RE OF A SIMILAR MIND, UH, THAT WE REJECT THIS FEE, INCREASE THE RATE INCREASE AT THIS TIME AND ASK THEM TO MAKE THIS PART EITHER PART OF A NEW RATE NEGOTIATION OR PART OF THE NEW AGREEMENT.
WHAT IS THEIR REASONING FOR, DID YOU SAY $65? YES MA'AM.
AND SO, UH, THEIR REASONING, WHAT ABOUT THE BOX SPRINGS? UH, I I I PRESUME THAT THAT'S PROBABLY $65 AS WELL.
OH MY, THE MEMO WASN'T VERY CLEAR.
AND SO THE REALITY IS WE CHECKED WITH, UH, THE TWO CLO NEXT CLOSEST LANDFILLS, UH, DIXIE AND, UH, AND FORT BEND.
AND THE OTHER DIXIE IS NOT CHARGING AT ALL RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT MATTRESSES ARE BULKY AND THEY TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE AND THERE'S HAZARDS ALLEGEDLY.
UH, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THIS IS, THIS IS AN UNDUE HARDSHIP ON THE CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS TO EXPECT US TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $65 ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE PAY NOW WITHOUT NEGOTIATION.
THIS IS, ONCE AGAIN, THEY BASICALLY TOLD US, DO THIS OR DON'T THEN THAT AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO JUST SAY NO, WE'LL REVISIT THE AGREEMENT.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A FEE BECAUSE LIKE THE BIG AND BULKY AND EVERYTHING, BUT $65 IS A LITTLE STEEP.
BUT THEY'RE JUSTIFICATION WAS THAT IT ALSO INCLUDED PPE MATERIALS FOR THEIR STAFF.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S A PASS THROUGH COST, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S, THAT'S A HECK OF A LOT OF MONEY.
AND WE SEE A FAIR AMOUNT OF MATTRESSES, AS JOHN SAID, IN ZONE ONE ON THE SECOND DAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'LL END UP, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
WHAT IS ZONE ONE? ZONE ONE IS OVER THERE IN, UH, LAKE BARBARA AREA, LIKE THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD STREET.
AND YOU GOT SOME APARTMENTS THAT WERE IN INVOLVED IN THOSE TWO.
I MEAN THAT WE WERE 15 AND THEY WENT TO ONE APARTMENT COMPLEX, HAD, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT
[00:30:01]
16 MORE SO JUST IN THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEX ALONE, THEY HAD, UH, THAT MANY DUMPED OUT THERE BY THEIR DUMPSTERS.WE WERE, I I REQUESTED THE COUNT AND THEN ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER SHE TEXTED ME BACK AND SAID, WE, WE JUST ADDED 16 MORE.
I'M PRESUMING THAT THIS IS ALSO GONNA APPLY TO LIKE, SOFAS, RECLINER, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, I I WOULD IMAGINE EVENTUALLY IN TIME THEY WOULD PROBABLY GO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S MATTRESSES TOMORROW COULD BE COUCHES.
SO BULKY ITEMS,
AND WE ASSUME THAT AS THIS CONTINUES MORE BULKY ITEMS WILL BE ADDED TO THEIR WELL THE FACT THAT IT PROBABLY IS AN OVERSIGHT IN THE WORD MATTRESS DOESN'T SEEM AGAIN, BUT IT'S UNBELIEVABLE WHAT A MATTRESS CAN DO TO ONE TRUCK AT THE LANDFILL.
UP TO $10,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE IF YOU RUN OVER IT AND DRAG IT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, ALL THEM WIRES AND SPRINGS.
IT MAKES ONE WRAP IN THE DRIVE SHAFT.
NO, IT'S PRETTY GOOD FOR RECORD DENNIS, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT REALLY GOOD ON THE OTHER END OF IT.
SO IF WE, SO IF WE DISAGREE WITH THIS AND THAT BRINGS THEM TO THE TABLE, IS THAT THE GOAL? THAT'S THE GOAL.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT IT.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILOR CHRIS THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 18 DASH 2025.
I'LL SECOND SECONDED BY COUNCIL PERSON.
HEARING NONE, I ENTERTAIN THE VOTE.
NEXT ITEM WOULD BE CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 19 DASH 2025.
ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY REPL FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT NINE 10 BROMAN AND SETTING A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR APPROVAL OF FINAL PLAT.
RECOMMENDED DATE IS MAY 8TH, 2025 AT 7:00 PM AND IT WOULD BE RESOLUTION NUMBER 19 DASH 2025.
A RESOLUTION OF CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF CLUTE, TEXAS APPROVING THE PRELIMINARY RE PLAT OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT NINE 10 BROCKMAN CL TEXAS WHERE THE CITY OF CLU, THROUGH HIS PLANNING HIS ZONING COMMISSION, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW AND APPROVE OR DENY PLAS OF REPL OF REAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND THE EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OF THE CITY.
WHEREAS CITY COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HAS CONSIDERED A REQUEST TO REPLANT PROPERTY LOCATED AT NINE 10 BROCK INCLUDE DIVIDING THE 0.659 ACRE TRACK INTO TWO TRACKS, A 0.233 ACRE TRACK, AND A 0.4269 ACRE TRACK.
WHEREAS AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF SAID PRELIMINARY REPL REQUEST FOR THE SETTING OF THE JOINT PUBLIC HEARING DATE.
WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS THAT THE REQUEST IS DULY MADE AND CONFORMS WITH ALL DEVELOPMENTAL DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR REPLANT NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF INCLUDE TEXAS.
THAT SECTION ONE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KLU, FINDS THAT THE FACTS ARE CITED IN THE PREAMBLE.
SECTION TWO, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES AND REQUEST OF PRELIMINARY REPLAYABLE PROPERTY LOCATED AT NINE 10 BROCKMAN INCLUDE TEXAS WITH A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING DATE OF MAY 8TH, 2025 AT 7:00 PM SECTION THREE EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS RESOLUTION IN THE RULE OF REGULATIONS, PROVISIONS, REQUIREMENTS, ORDERS AND MATTERS ESTABLISHED AND ADOPTED HEREIN HEREBY SHALL TAKE EFFECT AND BE IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PASSAGE.
AND UPON EXECUTION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY SECRETARY IS SET FORTH BELOW.
PROPER NOTICE AND MEETING IS HEREBY FOUND AND DETERMINED THAT THE MEETING AT WHICH THIS RESOLUTION WAS PASSED WAS ATTENDED BY QUO MEMBER CITY COUNCIL, WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE TIME, PLACE AND PURPOSE OF SAID MEETING WAS GIVEN AS REQUIRED BY THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 RED PASS AND ADOPTED THIS 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025, SIGNED BY MYSELF AND TESTIFIED BY ROSIE APPOINTMENT SIX.
CLERK I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL AGUILAR THAT WE ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 19 DASH 1 25.
I'LL SECOND EXECUTIVE BY COUNCIL PERSON VAUGHN, DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, HEARING NONE.
WE'LL HAVE A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 8TH.
[00:35:01]
APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL FROM PETE MEDA.WATER BILL MOTEL SIX, LOCATION AT 1000 HIGHWAY 3 32 KLU, TEXAS.
I HAD DISCUSSED LAST TIME I CAME ABOUT MY WATER BILL AND I HAD TO COME OUT WITH THE AVERAGE, LIKE I HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE CHECKED IT OUT, EVERYTHING.
AND I THINK THAT METER WAS FAULTY.
I KNOW THEY DID THE THINGS, UH, TESTING AND TESTING CAME OUT.
METER IS A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT SINCE PUT THE NEW METER LAST YEAR, I HAD TO DOUBLE THE ROOM RENTED IN 2023.
STILL MY AVERAGE COMES OUT ONLY $1,500 A MONTH.
THIS YEAR IS ALSO SAME A MONTH, $1,500 A MONTH, BUT 2023, IT'S $2,800 A MONTH AVERAGE.
IF YOU WANNA SEE, I CAN SHOW YOU THE PAPER.
SO MY POINT IS JUST THOSE TWO MONTHS, WHAT I HAVE LIKE 8,000, 4,000 AND 4,000 BILL, THAT'S COMPLETELY, SOMETHING IS WRONG IN THERE.
AND THAT PAPER WILL PUT, WE WERE ASKING, I HAVE THAT, LIKE I COME OUT WITH THE AVERAGE BILL LIKE 2023 IS $2,009, 24 IS 1531 AND 25 IS 1554.
IF IT'S THAT METER WASN'T BE FAULTY, HOW CAN WE, IT'S THAT MUCH BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND LAST YEAR WE HAD RENTED DOUBLE THE ROOM THAN 2023.
AND I DON'T HAVE NO GROUND PLUM WHATSOEVER FROM THE METER TO MY BOILER ROOM.
THEN AFTER EVERY PLUMBING IT'S IN MY ROOF.
SO IF WATER GOING SOMEWHERE, IT SHOULD LEAK SOMEWHERE.
I'LL REMIND COUNSEL AND I APOLOGIZE, I THOUGHT I'D INCLUDED MY SPREADSHEET, BUT I DID NOT, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, MR. MEDA HAD ANOMALOUS USAGE, UH, FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.
UH, WE PULLED THE METER, UH, WE TALKED WITH MR. MEDA AT THAT TIME ABOUT IF THE METER TESTED ACCURATE AND IT DID AT 99.9, UH, IN INDEPENDENT TESTING THAT HE WOULD PAY THE RESIDUAL BALANCE PLUS ANY ARREARS.
UH, HE HAS SUBSEQUENTLY MADE, UH, PRIOR TO THIS APPEAL A PAYMENT OF ABOUT $4,000.
AND THERE'S A $2,000 LATE FEES ON THIS BILL.
UH, WE AGREED AT THAT TIME THAT WE WOULD EXTEND HIM UNTIL COUNSEL.
HE FELT LIKE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE WHEN WE MADE OUR FINAL DECISION LAST TIME.
AND SO HE ASKED TO COME BEFORE YOU AGAIN.
UH, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THE MEET APPROVED ACCURATE? WE BELIEVE THE METER IS ACCURATE AND THE WATER WENT THROUGH THE METER.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN I SHOW YOU THIS PAPER AVERAGE BILL FOR 24 AND 25? IS THAT WHAT WE LOOKED AT LAST TIME? NO, THAT WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.
AND AS WELL 24 WE HAVE, BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE, WE WERE THREE MONTHS OLD OUT.
I CAN GIVE THE ROOM COUNCIL IN 2023 AND 2024 AND 2025.
SO YOUR CONCERN IS YOU THINK THE THE METER WAS FAULTY AND SO THEREFORE YOUR BILL IS MORE THAN IT SHOULD BE.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING, THE CITY CHECKED THE METER AND SAYS THAT THE METER SHOWED NOT TO BE FAULTY.
THEY WERE TELLING ME AND THEY SENT ME A REPORT.
IT WAS UNDERSTOOD TO ME THAT YOU AGREED THAT IF THE METER SHOWED TO BE GOOD, YOU WOULD PAY THE BILL.
WELL, WHAT I MEAN ONE THING AT A TIME, DID YOU TELL THE CITY THAT IF WE HAD TOOK THE METER, HAD IT CHECKED AND IT WAS GOOD, THEN YOU WOULD PAY THE BILL? DID YOU, DID YOU TELL US THAT? NO.
BECAUSE IF HE IS 70,000 GALLON IN ONE DAY WATER.
WHERE DID WATER WENT SIR? I JUST PAID A $300 WATER BILL BECAUSE I HAD A TOILET THAT WAS HUNG UP OFF OF LANGTON ROAD.
IT'S ONE APARTMENT, ONE BATHROOM.
THAT'S HOW MUCH WATER A TOILET USES IS THERE POOL? YES.
WHO, WHO DID YOU HAVE COME OUT AND CHECK THE POOL? I NEVER FILLED UP THE POOL.
WELL, POOL HAS TO BE MAINTAINED EVERY 30 DAYS.
[00:40:01]
POOL.I I'M JUST SAYING IT EVAPORATES.
YOU WANT ME TO SUE TO YOU ONE DAY IN 24 HOURS.
OKAY, LET ME ASK YOU THE QUESTION JUST FOR ME IF I'M RIGHT.
HOW MANY MONTHS DID YOU GO WITHOUT PAYING THE BILL WHEN YOU UNDER, WHEN YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY? JUST FIRST THREE MONTHS.
I HAVEN'T PAID REST OF THE MONEY.
I WAS PAYING NOT EVEN THREE MONTHS, JUST TWO MONTHS.
THAT 8,000, ALL THAT REST OF THE MONEY I WAS PAYING.
PLUS WHEN HE CJ REQUESTED PAY SOME MONEY, EVEN LAST MONTH, I PAY $4,000.
I HAVE TO BORROW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NO BUSINESS.
BEFORE THAT CJ TOLD ME, I SAYS, OKAY, I'LL PAY YOU 2000.
BUT THE THING IS THIS, THIS THING, IT'S WAY OUT OF BILL.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 17 YEAR, NEVER SEEN THE BILL LIKE THIS.
IF YOU CAN PUT SEVEN YEAR HISTORY OF THIS MY ACCOUNT, THERE IS NO BILL LIKE THAT.
WELL, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CHOSE NOT TO PAY THE BILL FOR THREE MONTHS, THAT ADDED A LOT OF PENALTIES AND A LOT OF INTEREST AND STUFF IN YOUR ACCOUNT.
SIR, WE SIR, WE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH CJ.
THEY WERE SAYS LET GET THE REPORT.
AND WHEN THEY TOLD ME YOU HAVE TO PAY, I PAID IT RIGHT AWAY.
YOU DIDN'T PAY ANYTHING FOR THREE MONTHS.
AND AND I THINK AT THOSE, THOSE THREE MONTHS, THE PENALTY AND INTEREST ON THE AMOUNTS THAT YOU OWED FOR THOSE THREE MONTHS IS A GREAT PORTION OF YOUR BILL.
YES, BUT IT THAT, THAT WAS IN A QUESTION MARK.
THAT WAS IN A QUESTION MARK BECAUSE 8,000 AND LIKE, BUT YOU DIDN'T PAY
I YOU WOULD'VE CAME IN AND PAID WHAT YOUR AVERAGE BILL WAS.
YOUR YOUR BILL WOULDN'T BE AS HIGH AS IT IS NOT AVERAGE BILL.
I PAID EVERY MY BILL EXCEPT THOSE TWO BILLS.
WHO'S WHO PUT THE QUESTION MARK.
LIKE WHEN WE, I CALLED THE CITY, I SAID, LOOK, THIS IS THE RIDICULOUS INVOICE.
BUT WHO PUT THE QUESTION MARK? THEY SAYS, WHERE DID THE QUESTION MARK COME FROM? WE GONNA PULL THE METER OUT AND WE GONNA CHECK IT OUT.
SO THAT, SO I'M ASKING DID YOU GET A BILL WITH A QUESTION MARK ON IT OR DID YOU QUESTION? I QUESTIONED IT.
WELL THEN THERE'S A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I CAN PUT A QUESTION MARK ON MY WATER BILL.
IT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT.
I DIDN'T SAY I DIDN'T REFUSE TO DON'T PAY IT.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET ALL THE PIECES, BUT YEAH, BUT THE THING IS THIS ME, THIS BILL IS NOT CORRECT BILL.
WHAT I HAVE SHOWED TO THE AVERAGE BILL, IT'S IN 24 OR 25, 23.
I CAN GIVE YOU 22 AVERAGE TOO.
THAT SAME METER, MR. BADA, I, I LOOKED AT THE, I LOOKED AT THE, THE REPORT THAT WAS PRINTED OUT FOR YOUR BUSINESS AND THOSE THREE MONTHS THAT YOU DIDN'T PAY YOUR BILL, THE PENALTY AND INTEREST THAT YOU PAID FOR THOSE WAS A CONSIDERABLE SUM OF WHAT YOU OWED.
IF YOU WOULD'VE JUST CAME IN AND PAID YOUR NORMAL AVERAGE BILL FOR THOSE THREE MONTHS, YOUR YOUR BILL WOULDN'T BE WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, IF YOU SEE THAT MY BILL, I PAID EVERYONE EVERY, ALL OF NO YOU DIDN'T.
WELL, OKAY, I CAN SHOW YOU RIGHT NOW THE ENTRY, ALL OF THE ENTRY OF THE BILL, I HAVE $2,000 FOR UNNECESSARY CHARGE ALSO.
UH, HE CURRENTLY, SO AFTER THE, UH, THE LET SO PAYMENT ON THE ARREARS BALANCE OF 4,000 WAS MADE BRINGING HIS BALANCE DOWN TO ABOUT $8,400 IN ARREARS.
HIS CURRENT BILL WAS BEFORE, BEFORE IP 2000 EXTRA TOO.
AND THAT, THAT'S 6,000 IP EXTRA.
SO YOU ORIGINALLY, YOU, YOU, YOU PLATEAUED AT A, AT A TOTAL ARREARAGE OF ABOUT $14,000.
HOW COME IT'S A $14,000 IF YOU CALCULATED? I JUST DIDN'T PAY FOR TWO MONTHS.
RIGHT HERE IT WAS THREE MONTHS.
PETE AND THE ACCRUED PENALTIES AND INTEREST WAS SUBSTANTIAL.
HE'S MADE A A, HE'S TAKEN $6,000 AND HE TOPPED OUT AT ABOUT 15,000, $14,700.
HE'S DOWN TO ABOUT $8,400 THAT'S OWED IN THE, IN ARREARS.
NOW, SINCE THIS TIME HE HAS PAID HIS BILL THE CURRENT BILL EVERY MONTH.
BUT HE HAS NOT PAID ANYTHING TOWARDS THE ARREARAGE UNTIL THOSE TWO PAYMENTS, THE 2000 AND 4,000 TO BUY THAT TOTAL ARREARAGE DOWN.
SO THE PENALTIES AND INTEREST HAVE CONTINUED TO COMPOUND ON THE ARREARS AMOUNT.
SO HOW MUCH HAS COMPOUNDED IN TOTAL, DO YOU KNOW? UH, I WANNA SAY IT'S ADDED.
WE PROBABLY ADDED 800, $900 WORTH OF INTEREST ON TOP OF THE REGULAR PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO PAY.
IF I CHECK BACK FROM 21, 22, 23, 24
[00:45:05]
AND 25, AVERAGE BILL IS A 1500 EXCEPT 2023.I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IF YOU SEE THAT METER IS NOT, NOT, THIS IS NOT FAULTY.
BUT IF YOU SEE SAME METER IN 2021, THE SAME AMOUNT AVERAGE BILL IS 1,522 IS ALSO ALSO SAME AMOUNT.
IF I COUNT AS A WHOLE MONTH YEAR, BUT ONLY 2023 IS WENT TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THE METER WAS ALL RIGHT ALL THE OTHER TIMES.
IT JUST WASN'T RIGHT DURING THAT TIME? NO, IT IS DOING RIGHT THING.
LIKE IF I GO BACK TO SEVEN YEARS, IT'S GONNA BE BECOME ABOUT SAME AMOUNT.
IT'S ONLY THING THAT ONE YEAR IS 2023.
I THINK THAT YOUR METER IS IS IS MALFUNCTIONING OR SOMETHING.
SOMETHING IS HAPPENING BECAUSE IF IT'S A WATER LEAKING, I SHOULD HAVE SOMEWHERE.
YOU WILL NOT SEE A WATER LEAK IF IT'S GOING DOWN YOUR TOILET.
YES I DO BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE NO REGULAR TOILET.
IF IT'S A LEAK, IT NEVER FLUSH AGAIN.
SIR, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, YOU'RE CONFUSED.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS, THIS BUSINESS FOR 32 YEARS, SIR.
I I I GUESS AND I KNOW WHAT TURBO TOILET AND I HAVE 0.1 0.6 GALLON TOILET WHEN WORKING CORRECTLY.
SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.
YOU COME AND VISIT MY PLACE AND I'LL SHOW IT TO YOU WHOLE HOTEL.
I, WELL WE CAN INSPECT GO BACK TO 2023, BUT WE CAN'T GO BACK TO 2023 AND LOOK AT IT.
CAN WE, I HAD THAT TIME PLUM INSPECTED.
WHEN THE METERS CHANGE AFTER THAT, WHY DO, WHY IS IT IS GOING DOWN THEN? NEVER BEEN UP, NEVER BEEN UP SINCE METERS CHANGE.
WELL, WITH ALL FAIRNESS, I HAVE A REASON, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT THAN YOURS.
YEAH, BUT IF HE IS NOT CHANGED IN THAT BILL AFTER CHANGE THE METER.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THEY ARE KEEP TELLING ME YOU MIGHT HAVE A LEAK SOMEWHERE THAT DAY WHEN THEY CHANGE THE METER, THEY EVEN TASTE THE WATER.
THERE'S CHLORINE ON IT AND THERE WAS A RAIN WATER.
AND ONLY THING FROM THERE TO MY BUILDING IS ONLY IN THE GROUND REST OF THE OIL PLUMBING IN THE ATTIC.
SO IF ANYWHERE LEAK LIKE 70,000 IN 24 HOUR, IT SHOULD SEW UP SOMEWHERE.
UNLESS IT'S GOING DOWN THE SEWER.
HOW GO STRAIGHT THROUGH THE TOILET, STRAIGHT TO THE SEWER.
SO THERE'S NO TOILET IS STRAIGHT GOING IN THERE.
I I'M JUST, NOW WE'RE JUST BEATING A DEAD HORSE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, UH, I THINK THERE IS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHY THE BILL STAYED STAGNANT FOR SO LONG OR PAST DUE.
UH, IT'S EACH ONE OF OUR POSITIONS TO MITIGATE OUR LOSSES.
NOT JUST SIT AROUND, NOT JUST DECIDE NOT TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THAT'SS GOING TO LEAD TO AT LEAST MY DECISION ON THIS BILL BECAUSE AS A BUSINESS OWNER, AS A PROPERTY OWNER, YOU HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO MITIGATE THESE LOSSES BY NOT LETTING THE ARREARS AND THE LATE FEES EAT YOU UP.
WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE, SIR, IT HAS DONE THAT.
AND, AND I WILL POINT OUT ALSO, THE CITY HAS OFFERED MULTIPLE PAYMENT PROGRAMS. WE'VE OFFERED TO LET 'EM PAY OFF THE TOTAL OVER TIME, UM, THAT HE WANTED TO APPEAL TO COUNSEL AND FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS IT TOOK ALMOST 16 MONTHS TO GET IT BEFORE YOU.
UH, HE HAD INITIALLY ASKED TO GO ON THE AGENDA BACK IN JUNE OF 2024.
BUT THINGS GOT PUSHED ASIDE FOR OTHER REASONS.
AND YOU DISAGREE WITH THE PAYMENT PLAN 'CAUSE YOU DISAGREE.
YOU OWE FOR THE WATER, I PRESUME NO PAYMENT PLAN.
NOBODY DISCUSSED WITH ME AND I'M NOT GONNA AGREE WITH PAYMENT PLAN BECAUSE THIS IS A WRONG BILL IN MY OPINION.
AND WHOEVER I ASKED, THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT WRONG, BILL.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT MUCH WATER CAN GO THROUGH THE METER AND WE CAN SEE WE, WE DON'T SEE IT.
WE CANNOT DETECT, DETECT IF YOU SEE HOUR BY HOUR.
I PAY FOR IT AND GET THE PUBLIC RECORD.
IF YOU SEE HOUR BY HOUR, IT'S JUST CRAZY WATER GOING THROUGH MID MIDNIGHT, LIKE TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
THERE, THERE'S NO ARGUMENT ABOUT THERE WAS ANOMALOUS USAGE.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT HAD ALREADY RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE WE PULLED THE METER FOR TESTING.
JOHN, WHEN DID WE PULL THE METER FOR TESTING? I'M SORRY? WHEN DID WE PULL THAT METER FOR TESTING? THAT WAS IT PROBABLY BEEN, UH, WE GOT A COPY OF THE TEST IF I RECALL.
IT WAS OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF 23.
IT WAS BACK IN PROBABLY OCTOBER OF 23, I GUESS IT WAS, YES, SOMEWHERE OCTOBER 23.
AND SO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR USAGE HAD ALREADY RESUMED NORMAL PATTERN AT THAT TIME, WHICH IS WHAT POINTS US TO THE ANOMALY BEING A LEAK
[00:50:01]
OR OTHER USAGE.EXCUSE ME, WHAT DID YOU SAY SIR? YOUR USAGE STARTED TRENDING UP IN LATE JULY OF 23, CORRECT? YEAH.
SO IT JULY OF 23, IT WENT UP AUGUST OF 23.
IT WENT UP SEPTEMBER OF 23 IT WENT UP AND THEN IT CURTAILED ITSELF, CORRECT? YEAH.
AFTER NOVEMBER, AFTER YOU GUYS CHANGED IT, IT IT WENT DOWN.
IT, IT HAD ALREADY STARTED GOING DOWN IN OCTOBER.
IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND THEN WE PULLED YOUR PUMP AND THEN TESTED IT.
NO, NO, YOU, YOU ALREADY RESUMED IT HAD ALREADY RESUMED A NORMAL FLOW.
THAT'S WHY WE POINTED TO THE ANOMALOUS USAGE AS HAVING TO THE WATER WENT THROUGH THE METER.
BUT IT WENT THROUGH THE METER AND THE COUNCIL'S POLICY AND PER ORDINANCE IS THAT YOU OWE THE MONEY THAT WENT THROUGH THE METER.
I'VE BEEN ASKED SIX PLUMBER CAME TO VISIT MY PLACES SINCE THEN.
THEY CHECK CHECK EVERY BATHROOMS AND ONLY THING WATER CAN GO FROM THE TOILET.
AND I TOLD YOU IT IS 1.7 TURBO TOILET.
IT DOESN'T HAVE A PRESSURE, IT WON'T FLOSS.
SO IF IT'S WATER LEAKING, THAT TOILET WON'T FLOSS.
SO IF IT'S LEAKING THEN PRESSURE WON'T BUILD UP.
AND WHAT'D YOU JUST SAY? I'M SORRY.
IF IT'S A WATER LEAKING IN THAT TOILET, IT WON'T FLOSS.
NO, THAT MEANS WE KNOW RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE WHEN MY HOUSEKEEPER GO, THEY FLOSS.
IF IT DOESN'T FLOSS, THAT MEANS IT, IT SAYS A LEAK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY REPORTS FROM THESE SIX PLUMBERS? DID THEY GIVE YOU ANY TYPE OF REPORT INDICATING WHAT THEY CHECKED? I CAN CALL THEM AGAIN AND TELL THEM, BUT THEY GIVE YOU SOME SORT OF REPORT.
IS THERE DOCUMENTATION SAYING THAT? IT'S NOT LIKE, BUT I CALL THEM AND I HAVE INVOICE AND YOU CAN COME VISIT MY, UH, HOTEL AND I CAN SHOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IF IT'S THE WATER LEAKING, MY TOILET WON'T FLUSH.
IT SOLD ON TURBO FLOS TOILET 0.6 1.6 GALLON.
SO ONLY WAY IS WATER GO FROM TOILET.
OTHERWISE THERE IS NO WAY IS WATER GOING? AND WE DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, MR. BENNETT COUNCIL HAS MADE THEIR DECISION ALREADY.
YOU NEED TO WORK OUT A WAY TO GET THE BILL PAID.
NOW THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE, AND THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT AND GET SET UP ON A PAYMENT PLAN TO GET IT PAID.
UH, THE COUNCIL'S ALREADY MADE THEIR DECISION BASED ON THE EVIDENCE THAT WE WERE GIVEN.
IF I WANNA PAY ON PAYMENT PLAN, WHY WOULD I DO THIS HARD WORK HERE DOING ALL PRINTOUT, DOING ALL THIS? WELL THEY'VE ALREADY, 'CAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT BILL.
THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY MADE THE DECISION.
THEN YOU KNOW, THEY MADE THE DECISION, WE MADE THE DECISION TWO MONTHS AGO MM-HMM
I I I'M OUT OF COUNTRY ON 11 IN, IN FEBRUARY.
AND THEY, THEY, AND, AND I SENT HER ALL THE EMAIL.
THAT MIGHT BE, THAT MIGHT BE PART OF THE REASON WHY THEY MADE THE DECISION.
BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T HERE TO REPRESENT YOURSELF.
THE, THE FACTS OF THE MATTER ARE THE FACTS OF THE MATTER.
THE THE WATER WAS USED, IT WENT THROUGH THE METER, THE METER PROOF ACCURATE? I DON'T THINK SO.
AND JUST, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, WHEN YOU DIDN'T PAY YOUR BILL, YOU BROUGHT PART OF THAT COST ON YOURSELF WHEN YOU DIDN'T PAY ANYTHING ON YOUR BILL.
SIR, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT LAST TIME.
SAME WAY THESE PEOPLE MAKE ME PAY $8,000 FOR COVID TIME.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE NO PENALTY ON IRS WON'T CHARGE YOU A PENALTY.
AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME $2,000 PENALTY.
THAT THING IS, THE METER WAS NOT RIGHT.
WE HAD THE METER TESTED, THE TEST COMPANY SAID IT WAS FINE.
WHERE'D THE WATER GO THEN? THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW.
ALL WE KNOW IS THAT IT WENT THROUGH THE METER AND IT'S VERY POSSIBLE UP.
IT POSSIBLE IT WENT THROUGH THE SEWER.
IF IT WENT THROUGH THE SEWER, IT'S NOT GONNA BE SHOWING UP ANYWHERE.
HOW IS GONNA GO INTO THE SEWER? THAT'S, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WHERE DOES WATER GO WHEN YOU FLUSH THE TOILET? THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
WHERE DOES IT GO? THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
WHERE IT GO WHEN YOU FLUSH THE TOILET? WHERE DOES THE WATER GO SIR?
[00:55:01]
WHEN YOU RUN THE SHOWER, WHERE DOES THE WATER GO? BUT IT'S NOT 24 HOUR, NOT 70 GALLON, 70,000 GALLON.WERE YOU IN EVERY ROOM AT THAT NIGHT? WE CHECKED AT EVERY ROOM.
MY HOUSEKEEPER WENT CLEAN THE ROOM AND I TOLD YOU, IF IT'S SOMEBODY TAKE A SOUR, HOW LONG IS GONNA TAKE A SOUR? WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A ROOM RENTED.
SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE LEFT IT RUNNING ALL NIGHT.
SO YOU GUYS ARE COMPLETELY UNFAIR ON THAT MATTER.
WELL, I MEAN YOU DON'T, COME ON, SIR.
YOU'RE YOU'RE FAILING THE, YOU TRAVEL IN THE WORLD TOO.
YOU GO TO ANYWHERE YOU ON SOUR FOR 24 HOUR.
SOMEBODY COULD HAVE TURNED IT ON REALISTIC HERE, SIR.
YOU COULD HAVE MADE SOMEBODY MAD.
THEY COULD HAVE TURNED IT ON AND LEFT.
SIR, SIR, WE, WE CAN PLAY THE WHAT IF GAME ALL DAY LONG.
I KNOW WE CAN SIT HERE AND GO BACK AND FORTH FOR THREE HOURS, BUT IT'S IT'S NOT GONNA GET YOU ANYWHERE.
WELL, THE, IT'S NOT, THE FACT IS THE, YOU COMPLAINED ABOUT THE METER.
THE METER WAS TESTED, THE METER SHOWED TO BE ACCURATE.
SO THE WATER WENT THROUGH THE METER WHERE THE WATER WENT THROUGH.
SO WHAT IS THE, THE POINT IS IT WENT THROUGH THE METER AND ACCORDING TO OUR RULES AND REGULATION, IF IT GOES THROUGH THE METER, IT IS CHARGED TO THE PROPERTY.
THERE IS, AND WE CANNOT PROVE THAT IT DID NOT GO THROUGH THE METER BECAUSE THE METER TESTED.
SO THAT'S THEN WHY, WHY WOULD, DOESN'T KNOW WHY.
THOSE ARE THE, THAT IS THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO BASE A DECISION ON THE FACTS.
THE FACTS ARE, WE HAD A QUESTION, THE METER WAS CHECKED WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR IF I AGREE WITH IT, THE METER WAS CHECKED AND IT SAYS THE METER'S FINE.
SO IF THE WATER GOES THROUGH THE METER AND DISAPPEARS, THE PROPERTY OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BILL FOR THAT WATER THAT GOES THROUGH THE METER.
I DO UNDERSTAND IT, SIR, BUT CAN YOU, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ON.
WE CAN'T MAKE A DECISION IF YOU WERE BUSY THAT WEEK, IF THE POOL GOT DRAINED OR IF A TOILET MALFUNCTIONED OR SOMEBODY LEFT A SHOWER ON.
THE FACT IS WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON DID THE WATER GO THROUGH THE METER, YES OR NO? DID WE DO WHAT WE COULD TO PROVE THAT? YES OR NO? AND DOES THE MAN OWE OR THE PROPERTY OWNER OWE THE BILL? YES OR NO? WHY DON'T YOU JUST YES, THE MO YES, WE MOVED THE METER.
IT PROVED WE UNDERSTAND THE WATER, THE METER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT TEST DID.
I, YOU KNOW WHAT, SIR? I HAVEN'T INTERRUPTED YOU ONE TIME.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE METER TESTING.
WHAT WHOEVER DID IT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT IF YOU CHECK MY RECORD FOR LAST 10 YEARS, EVER EVEN BILL 4,000 AND 10,005, 8,000, 5,000.
THE COUNSEL HAS MADE THEIR DECISION.
YEAH, YOU NEED TO PAY THE BILL OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
NEXT ITEM WOULD BE A REQUEST APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL FROM NEW LONDON WINE, UH, WATER BILL AT 4 56 BRADLEY COURT STREET, KLU, TEXAS.
I WORK FOR THE OWNER, UH, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4 5 6, UH, BRA PORT BOULEVARD, UH, KALU, TEXAS.
UH, I'M GOING EXPLAIN THE SITUATION HERE.
UH, WE RECEIVED A WATER BILL, UH, ON JANUARY THIS YEAR WHEN OUR, UH, TENANT MOVED IN, UH, ON JANUARY.
AND, UH, THE BILL WAS FROM, UH, UH, 2,002,000 2023.
AND, UH, UH, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE BUILDING WAS VACANT SINCE 2022.
AND, UH, WE REQUEST THE, THE WATER TO BE, UH, TURNED OFF ON JUNE 15TH, 2022.
AND THE, THE CITY, UH, WATER DEPARTMENT CAN CONFIRM THAT THE, UH, THE, THE WATER SERVICE HAS BEEN TERMINATED AND, UH, THE VALVES BEING SHUT OFF.
BUT, UH, UH, DURING THAT TIME WHEN, WHEN OUR RETURN MOVE IN, THEY RECEIVE A BILL, UM, SINCE THERE'S WATER RUNNING FROM, UH, MARCH 20, 20, 23 TILL, UH, TILL MAY 3RD, 2020, 23.
AND, UH, IT GENERATED A BILL OF, UH, 3000, YEAH, 3000, UH, UH,
[01:00:01]
$502.AND, UH, UH, SO MY QUESTION HERE IS, UH, SINCE THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS CONFIRMED THE, UH, THE, THE SERVICE HAS BEEN TERMINATED AND THE, THE WATER'S BEEN SHUT OFF, UH, LIKE WEATHER THERE, WATER FLOWING IS THROUGHOUT, UH, WATER METER DURING THIS TIME.
AND, UH, LIKE ACCORDING TO THE, UH, THE, THE C UH, CITY OF GALU UTILITY POLICY, THE WATER METER AND THE THE WATER WA VALVE IS UNDER C CITY JURISDICTION.
UH, LIKE THOSE, UH, THOSE VALVE AND METERS SHOULD BE OPERATED BY, UH, THE CITY, UH, WATER DEPARTMENT ONLY.
UH, SO LIKE WE, WE FEEL THAT, UH, LIKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO MONITOR AND, UH, UH, OPERATE THE, THE VALVE SHOULD NOT BE, SHOULD NOT BE FOLLOWED ON US.
UH, AND UH, BEYOND THAT, UH, IF THERE'S, UH, LIKE ILLEGAL, ILLEGAL REOPENED, UH, AND, UH, AFTER THE SHUT, AFTER THE SHUTOFF, UH, LIKE THE, ACCORDING TO, UH, THE CITY, THE CODE, CODE OF ORDINANCE SECTION ONE 14, UH, THE CITY SHOULD, UH, IMMEDIATELY TERMINATE THE SERVICE AGAIN AND, UH, NOT NOTIFY THE CUSTOMER WITHIN 30 DAYS.
BUT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY BILL UNTIL JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, SO BASED ON LIKE THE, THE FACTS I JUST SAID ABOVE, UH, WE FEEL LIKE THIS WATER BILL SHOULD NOT BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO TO CLARIFY FOR COUNSEL, THEY REQUESTED A DISCONNECT IN JUNE OF 2022.
WE MADE THAT DISCONNECT AT THAT TIME, SHUT THE WATER OFF AND STOPPED BILLING FOR THE, FOR THE WATER THAT WAS PROVIDED THERE.
AT SOME POINT, I BELIEVE IN MARCH OF THAT YEAR, THE WATER BEGAN, APPARENTLY WATER RESUMED USAGE.
AND SO THEY USED, UH, QUITE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER AND YOU CAN LOOK ON THE METER WHERE IT STARTED ON ONE DAY AND ENDED ON MAY 3RD.
AND SO WE DIDN'T GENERATE A BILL AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ACTIVE ACCOUNT AT THAT TIME.
AND I DON'T EVEN NOTICE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ACTIVE ACCOUNT.
WE WERE AUDITING FOR ANY KIND OF USAGE OR ANY KIND OF ANOMALOUS USAGE ON THE METER.
MR. WANG IS ASKING OR REQUESTING THAT WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILING TO SECURE THE METER, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T NORMALLY, IT'S NOT OUR HAPPENSTANCE TO LOCK THE METER BOX AFTER IT'S BEEN DISCONNECTED.
UH, IF WE WERE GONNA DO THAT, IT'D BE QUITE AN EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR, UH, EVERY METER BOX.
AND SO SOMEBODY AT THEIR SITE GOT CONTROL OF THE WATER, TURNED IT ON, AND WAS USING THE WATER IN THE FACILITIES, UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM AND UNBEKNOWNST TO US.
AND SO, UH, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE SITUATION, THEY HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT $3,500 IN CHARGES.
AND SO WHEN THE BILL WAS RECONSTITUTED, WE NOTICED THE ANOMALOUS USAGE PER THE ORDINANCE.
WE GENERATED A BILL AND, UH, CAN I SAY SOMETHING ELSE? UH, AND THE, LIKE, THE BILL, UH, BASED ON THE, THE WATER, LIKE THE WATER METER READING, UH, UH, FROM, UH, FROM, UH, LEMME SEE HERE, FROM, UH, APRIL 1ST, 2023, THE READING WAS AVERAGING ABOUT 2 30, 2 30 A GALLON PER HOUR.
SO, UH, AND, AND IT GOES ON TILL THE END.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE LIKE, SAME QUESTION, PAJAMA BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS WATER WAS.
WE DID, WE SHUT THE METER OFF AND THEN SOMEBODY APPARENTLY TURNED, BUT IT WASN'T DISCONNECTED.
IT WAS TURNED OFF, BUT IT WASN'T LOCKED.
I MEAN, THAT WAS MY QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE A LOCK ON THE WATER? I ASSUME BOX.
OH, I ASSUME THAT THE METERS WERE PULLED.
NO, WE TYPICALLY DON'T PULL A COMMERCIAL METER BECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED.
WE JUST SHUT THE WATER OFF AND ASSUME THAT THE NEXT TENANT WILL HAVE IT TURNED BACK OFF.
IS THIS A HOUSE OR NO? NO, THIS IS A BUSINESS.
THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS IS THE, IT'S THE CRAWFORD BUILDING USED TO BE OVER.
IT'S THAT NEW BUILDING THAT WAS BUILT RIGHT HERE BY JOHNSON SUPPLY.
AND ON THIS PARTICULAR VAULT, THERE'S A VAULT THAT SITS OUT FRONT WHERE THE METER SITS IN THERE, AND INSIDE THERE THERE'S A, A, BASICALLY A BALL VALVE THAT SHUTS THE WATER OFF.
THERE'S NO WAY OF LOCKING THAT BALL VALVE.
YOU TURN IT OFF THE WATER'S OFF, IT EVEN HAS A BYPASS ON THERE WHERE YOU CAN BYPASS THE METER, BE PAST THE METER AND NOT GO THROUGH THE METER, BUT THE BALL VALVE, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER AFTER WE TURN IT OFF, THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING ANYBODY FROM GOING TO OPEN UP THAT BOTTLE LID AND TURN THAT WATER BACK ON NOW.
AND WHAT HIS, HIS QUESTION HERE, WE TURN THE WATER OFF AT THE METER WHERE WE WOULD
[01:05:01]
NORMALLY TURN IT OFF.NOW THE USAGE WAS A CONTINUOUS USAGE UNTIL WHATEVER WAS RUNNING WAS STOPPED.
I MEAN, IT STOPPED USING IT ALL TOGETHER.
AND SO WHILE IT WAS AN INACTIVE ACCOUNT, THERE'S NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT WATER WAS GOING THROUGH THERE UNTIL WE GO BACK TO SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY ELSE INITIATE SERVICE.
AT THAT TIME, WE TAKE A READING ON THAT METER.
THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND THAT FROM THE TIME THAT IT WAS INACTIVE, THE TIME NOW WATER WAS BEING USED IN THAT METER SINCE THE TIME THAT IT STOPPED.
THERE'S BEEN NO WATER USED AFTER THAT.
NOW, THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING HAS, THERE WAS A HISTORY GOING BACK WITHIN WHERE WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM A LOT OF WATER BEHIND THE FACILITY.
NOW, I, I DON'T RECALL IF, IF, UH, IF THIS IS TIED TO THE WATER METER, BUT WE RECEIVED A CALL OUT THERE WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF WATER IN THE SEWER LINE OUT BACK.
AND WE WENT OVER THERE AND AT THE TIME, I THINK IT WAS, UH, MR. UPLAND WAS HERE AT THAT TIME, I KEPT HEARING WATER INSIDE THE BUILDING AND INSIDE THEIR FIRE ROOM THERE WAS A VALVE THAT WAS BLOWING AND IT WAS JUST BASICALLY BLOWING RIGHT INTO THE DRAIN AND THERE'S NOTHING COMING OUT.
THE BUILDING WAS GOING RIGHT DOWN THE SEWER AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THE WATER CAME FROM IN THE BACK.
IF THAT LINE IS TIED TO THAT METER, I CAN'T SAY THAT'S WHERE IT COME FROM.
THERE AGAIN, I I, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T SEE NO WATER COMING.
IT COULD HAVE COME FROM THE BATHROOM WHERE YOUR FLUSH VALVES GOING UNTIL THAT WATER WAS STOPPED WHERE THE WATER WENT.
AGAIN, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE, WE WERE NOT THERE TO WATCH THAT AND SEE WHERE THE WATER WENT.
WE TURNED THE METER OFF, UH, WHEN IT WAS REQUEST TO BE TURNED OFF.
AND THEN WHENEVER SOMEBODY ELSE APPLIED FOR IT, WE TURNED IT BACK ON.
THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND THE USAGE.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN WE WENT BACK AND FOUND OUT WHAT TIMEFRAME IT WAS THAT THAT METER WAS, THAT THE WATER WAS USED.
SO YOU SAID THERE WAS LIKE A LOCK IN THE VIRUS SYSTEM.
THAT WAS BEFORE, YES, THAT WAS BEFORE THEY BUILT, BUT THERE WAS SITUATION AT THAT TIME THAT WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS TIED TO OR NOT CAN'T, BUT THIS ONE HERE, WHATEVER IT WAS, YOU JUST TURNED, YOU TURNED OR TURNED IT OFF.
IN, IN BETWEEN THIS PERIOD, WAS THE PROPERTY EVER CHECKED? DID Y'ALL CONSTANTLY DID LIKE, NO, NOBODY EVER CHECKED ON THE PROPERTY.
LIKE MONTHLY CHECKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
LIKE WE WERE THERE LIKE, UH, DOING LANDSCAPE MOVING ALONG, YEAH, EVERY MONTH.
BUT, UH, THE, THE BUILDING IS LOCKED AND NO, NO ONE'S THE WATER INSIDE.
BUT ACTUALLY, UH, LIKE, UH, WHEN THE TENANT MOVE IN AND THEY, THEY REQUEST THE, THE WATER TO BE PULLED BACK ON, HE SAID IT WAS ALREADY ON.
BUT WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T DO THE REQUEST.
SO AFTER, AFTER WE REQUEST THE WATER TO BE TURNED OFF, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW LIKE WHO, WHO TURN, WHO TURN THE WATER BACK ON.
BUT, UH, LIKE WE FEEL THAT, UH, THAT BECAUSE TO, ACCORDING TO THE CITY, UH, THE POLICY, UH, EVERYTHING FROM THE METER TO THE, TO THE WATER SUPPLY LINE, EVERYTHING BEHIND THE METER IS, UH, CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY, NOT OURS.
SO AS I KNOW, YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE PROPERTY OWNER, SO THEY HAVE NO MEANS OF, WHAT AM I TRYING TO CONTROL? THAT WATER SUPPLY TO THE BUILDING, THERE'S JUST THIS ONE BALL VALVE THAT GOES TO A METER INSIDE THAT BALL.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOT A VALVE AT THE BUILDING THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BE.
I, I DON'T THERE ONE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING OR NOT, BUT YOU KNOW, I DUNNO IF THERE'S ONE OUTSIDE RIGHT OUTSIDE BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE BUILDING.
SO IF SOME, SO IF WE BLOW A HOLE IN THAT LINE, THERE'S NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF.
IF THERE'S A HOLE IN WHAT LINE? BETWEEN THE METER.
THERE'S A BURST PIPE IN THE BUILDING BETWEEN THE METER.
THE ONLY WAY YOU GET THE WATER TO STOP IS TO STOP IT AT THE METER.
THERE IS NO VALVE AT THE BUILDING.
LIKE TO LOCK RESIDENTIAL, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE THE METER AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ONE AT THE HOUSE YOU CAN TURN OFF.
YOU HAVE TO GO IN THAT, THAT WALL RIGHT THERE AND IT BE LIT UP RIGHT THERE.
WELL, THAT'S, SO JOHN, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ASK IS, IS THAT'S THE ONLY, THAT'S THE ONLY POINT OF CONTROL FOR THE WATER ENTERING THE PROPERTY? YES.
OUTSIDE OF MAYBE A, A LARGER VALVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE ACCESS THROUGH A, UH, VALVE RANGE.
AT A CHECK VALVE ON A MAIN, YEAH.
AND, UH, THE ONLY ONE WAY TO TURN THAT WATER ON WOULD BE THAT THEY HAVE A IRRIGATION METER, WHICH IS A SMALLER METER, BUT DECIDED THAT'S NOT WHERE THIS WAS TIED.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU TURN ON THE METER
[01:10:01]
IF IF, UM, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE METER WAS TURNED OFF SO NO WATER'S GOING THROUGH THE METER, RIGHT.THE THE, IS IT JUST A REGULAR VALVE, LIKE A RESIDENTIAL? YOU JUST HAVE THAT LITTLE TOOL AND YOU TURN IT VALVE HAS A HANDLE ON IT.
YOU JUST TURN IT SO ANYBODY COULD WALK UP AND JUST ANYBODY, WELL TURN IT ON EVEN THOUGH IT'S INVOLVED.
BUT YES, ANYBODY COULD WALK UP THERE AND TURN IT BY HAND.
THAT'S FLUID EITHER BEFORE THE METER.
IS THAT, SO THAT'S THE CITY THAT'S, THAT'S THE CITY'S CUTOFF.
THERE'S ACTUALLY, THERE'S ACTUALLY A BALL VALVE ON HIS SIDE OF THE METER AS WELL.
AND THERE'S ALSO A BYPASS ON THAT WHERE NO, THERE'S, THERE'S NO VALVE AFTER THE, OKAY, WELL THERE'S, THERE'S TWO ON THE OTHER ON THE, WELL THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
WHILE WE THERE A BYPASS ON THE METER THAT'S TRYING METER, SHOULD WE EVER HAVE TO, UH, REPLACE THE METER, REPAIR THE METER, TAKE THE METER OUT, WE CAN STILL SUPPLY IT IN THE SURFACE.
SO THERE'S GOTTA BE ONE ON, ON ON YOUR SIDE TO KEEP THAT FLOW GOING THROUGH THERE WITHOUT BACK ON THE METER.
EVEN WHEN THE METER WAS TESTED, WE WERE ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE VALVE THAT GOES, UH, PAST THE METER AND PUT THE BYPASS ON TO WHERE HE COULD STILL HAVE WATER IN THE BUILDING.
WHEN WE TESTED THE JOHN, WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THE POND OR THE METER? UH, I THINK IT'S PER INCH.
WELL, I STRUGGLE THE IDEA THAT WE SUPPLY WATER TO SOMEWHERE THAT WE CAN'T LOCK OUT.
WELL, IN MOST CASES, IN SOME CASES THEY HAVE A CURB STOP WHERE YOU CAN LOCK THAT OUT.
AND WHEN THIS BILL WAS BUILT, WHY THEY PUT THE, THE BALL VALVE IN THERE LIKE THAT WHEN YOU TURN IT OFF, IT'S NOT IDEAL.
WHEN WE SHUT PEOPLE OFF RESIDENTIAL METERS, WE PUT LOCKING PINS ON IT AND IT, THEY SAY ONLY STOP THE HONESTY BECAUSE THEY CAN UP THERE AND THEY CAN BREAK THAT BRAS FITTING OFF THERE AND TURN THE WATER BACK ON.
HAS THAT HAPPENED? HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
AND I, AND I TOTALLY GET THAT AND THAT'S WHY I, I, I'M STRUGGLING, BUT WE CAN'T LOCK THIS METER OUT.
IF WE GO TURN IT OFF TODAY, SOMEBODY CAN TURN IT ON IN THE MORNING.
SOMEBODY COULD GO UP THERE AND TURN IT OFF.
THAT'S WHERE WE GO OUT TO THE MAIN TURN IT OFF.
BUT STILL THAT'S, I SAID IF WE COULD LOCK IT OUT, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP SOMEBODY, IF THEY WANTED TO GET IN THERE, THEY COULD MAKE A BREAK OFF.
BUT YET, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO GO TURN THE ONE ON AT YOUR HOUSE, THEY WOULD'VE TO DO DAMAGE TO TURN IT BACK ON.
TECHNICALLY BREAK CURB, BREAK THE LOCK OR BREAK THE THEY BREAK THE CURB STOP.
AND THERE'S PROOF THAT THEY, AND THERE'S PROOF THAT WHAT WAS THE, THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE TIMEFRAME AGAIN? IT WAS FROM MARCH OF 23 TO MAY OF 23.
AND WAS IT LONG TERM USE OR JUST A FEW SPIKES? UH, IT WAS FAIRLY CONSISTENT.
DID ANYBODY GO OUT, INSPECT THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WASN'T ANYBODY THAT HAD BROKEN IN, MAYBE WAS TRYING TO LIVE IN THERE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? ALL THE, ALL THE WINDOWS ON DOORS ARE LOG ONTO WHEN HE ALREADY MOVED IN.
SO THERE'S NO SIGNS OF BREAKING IN AND THERE'S NO LIKE NO, UH, NO WATER HOSE ON THE, ON ON THE ON ALL SIDE.
WE'RE TALKING TWO HERE AGO AGO.
THERE'S LIKE, SO WAS THE, WAS THE WATER TURNED OFF AND THE BUILDING DRAINED? OKAY.
SO ALL THE VALVES WOULD'VE BEEN OPEN.
SO IF SOMEBODY TURNED THE OTHER VALVE ON, IT JUST RUNS WIDE OPEN? IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
MY QUESTION IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE BUILDING, FOR SAKE OF BETTER WORDS, WINTERIZED WOULD'VE BEEN THE WATER'S TURNED OFF, ALL THE VALVES ARE OPENED UP TO STOP FREEZING.
AND IF SOMEBODY TURNED THAT VALVE ON, IT LITERALLY COULD HAVE RUN WIDE OPEN INTO A SINK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE BUILDINGS LAID OUT.
WHICH, WHICH BUILDING IS IT? IT'S THAT CRAWFORD BUILDING A NEW BUILDING.
IT WAS THAT ONE WHERE THEY CRAWFORD BUILDING.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT, THAT'S THE ONE THAT WAS VACANT.
OR DIDN'T SOMEONE JUST COME BEFORE US ABOUT OPENING A BUSINESS IN THERE? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT A WC JUST MOVED IN.
HE'S NOT THE TENANT DOES IT HAD THE, THE FLAG ON THE ROOF.
AM I WRONG? IS THAT THE BUILDING? THAT'S THE ONE AT ONE TIME.
IT LOOKS LIKE A FLAG MOLD LEASE THAT DAY.
SO THEY LEASED NOW TO THE VALVE TESTING COMPANY? YEAH.
AND THAT'S WHEN THEY, THAT'S WHERE WE WENT TO TURN IT BACK ON.
WE WENT AND TURNED IT BACK ON, REACTIVATED THE ACCOUNT AND THAT'S WHEN THE FLAG POPPED UP FOR ANOMALOUS USAGE.
BUT WE TURNED IT OFF AND IT WAS OFF WHEN YOU WENT BACK.
SO THAT MEANS SOMEBODY TURNED IT ON? NO, NO, IT, IT WAS ALREADY ON LIKE WHEN THE NEW ATTORNEY MEETING, THE ORDER IS ALREADY ON.
SO WHEN THE, WHEN THEY REQUEST THE, THE ORDER WOULD BE RECONNECTED AND THE, THE TECHNICIAN CON SAID THIS ALREADY, BUT WHEN THE, IT WAS, IT WAS OFF.
IT TURNED OFF IN 2023? NO, 2020 2 22.
[01:15:01]
YEAH.AND THEN WHEN YOU WENT BACK WITH THE NEW TENANT, IT WAS ALREADY ON MM-HMM
BUT THERE'D BEEN NO USAGE SINCE MAY OF 23.
BUT, BUT IT, IT STOPPED AFTER, AFTER MAY.
IT, IT RAN FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN IT STOPPED.
AND FROM THAT TIME ON UNTIL THE LIEUTENANT WAS THERE, UH, IT HAD NO MORE USAGE.
SO THE USAGE WAS IN THAT SHORT TIMEFRAME AND IT HAD TO BE TURNED BACK ON.
IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING GOING BECAUSE OF WHERE IT WAS GOING.
STOP NOW WHERE THERE WAS A LEAK OR SOMETHING'S FOUND OR WHAT? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
UH, THE LEFT THAT TREE TO RIGHT.
THAT'S THE, IT'S THE LITTLE METAL THING IN THE GROUND, LIKE IN BETWEEN THE TWO TREES.
AND THE OTHER ONE I GUESS IS THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM SHOULD, WELL, I STRUGGLE WITH THE FACT NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT MR. MADE DEALT WITH.
WE HAD AN ISSUE THAT IF IT GOES TO THE MEAT OF THE PROPERTY, OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE.
BUT I, ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS DEAL IS I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM THAT WE CAN'T LOCK THAT OUT.
WE, I COME UP TO THE MIC PLEASE.
MY NAME NINA AND, UM, UNDER THE, SHE'S STILL A PUBLIC OWNER.
UH, BECAUSE MY ENGLISH IS ACTUALLY NOT LOOK GOOD, SO MAYBE HE CAN TRANSLATE FOR ME.
IS IS BETTER LIKE THE JUST QUESTION, LIKE THE CRITICAL WAY, LIKE WHAT THE, THE CITY HAVE DONE AFTER, AFTER WE REQUEST THE ORDER BE TURNED OFF.
LIKE, UH, LIKE WHAT ACTUALLY, WHAT'S THE ACTUAL WAY TO ACTUALLY TURN THE WATER OFF? SO IT'S JUST THE LAW, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S THE QUESTION, RIGHT? IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST THE VOW? YEAH, JUST THE VALVE.
THE WATER WAIT BY TECHNICIAN OR IT'S AUTOMATIC AUTOMATICALLY.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, ON THE COMMERCIAL IT'D BE AUTOMATED.
AND THEN IF WE SEE, SO IF YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE ACCOUNT AND THERE'S ANOMALOUS USAGE, WE'LL TYPICALLY SEE THAT IN THE BILLING IT'LL FLAG.
BUT BECAUSE THE ACCOUNT WAS DISCONNECTED, WE WEREN'T RUNNING A BILL.
SO THERE WAS NO FLAG GENERATED UNTIL WE REINSTATED THE SERVICE.
SO IS, UH, THERE'S A, LIKE A, A SUBSTANTIAL WATER FLOWS FROM THE METER DURING THAT TIME, BUT UM, LIKE WE WEREN'T NOTIFIED UNTIL THIS YEAR.
SEVENTH PROBABLY BECAUSE ALREADY 20 20, 2050 GALLON IS USAGE AND WE, WE PUT SOME, UH, UM, UH, LIKE ACCORDING TO THE, THE, THE CODE OF ORDINANCE, WE SHOULD NOTIFY GUYS.
IT JUST THREE MONTHS HIGH USE WATER IS CUT OFF.
BUT DID THESE RECORDS SHOW THAT THE WATER COME ON AND THEN WENT OFF? JUST, JUST THREE MONTHS COME WE USE IT, BUT IT WAS OFF.
BEFORE WE OFF CAME ON OFF, YEAH.
ACTUALLY WE'RE GONNA USE ANYTHING AND, AND MAKE SURE I'M FROM TEXAS, WE GOTTA TALK SLOW.
SO THE WATER WAS OFF, THE WATER WAS OFF UHHUH, AND THEN WE SHOW WHERE
[01:20:01]
IT CAME ON THROUGH THESE RECORDS, AND THEN WE SHOW THAT THE WATER WAS TURNED BACK OFF.IS THAT WHAT THESE RECORDS SHOW? UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THE WORDS TURNED BACK OFF.
I JUST KNOW LIKE THERE WAS NO, THE USAGE, THE USAGE TURNED OFF.
MAYBE THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT.
RIGHT? LIKE THE NUMBERS OF LIKE SIX, I ALREADY GOING 2, 2 40 A GALLON CONSTANTLY FOR, FOR WHOLE LOSS.
MR. WILKIN A THREE INCH LINE DUMPS.
HOW MUCH WATER AN HOUR? GOT ANY GUESS? DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU GOT.
LET'S SAY, LET'S SAY IT'S WIDE OPEN AS FAR AS WE KNOW.
YOU SAID TWO 40 GALLONS AN HOUR.
THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY NOT MUCH OF THAT LIGHT SERGEANT CLARK METER.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S EASY TO DO.
THAT COULD BE A, THAT'S EASY TO DO ON A, ON A THREE INCH METER GOING IN THERE.
IT DEPENDS IF YOU HAVE LIKE A ONE INCH LINE BLOWING FULL BLAST INSIDE OR A TOILET.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT, OH YES, A THREE INCH LINE WITH A THREE INCH METER CAN DUMP 240 THAT GALLON VERY EASILY.
THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS ASKING.
AND, AND I THINK WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS LIKE, WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS, IS THE METER WAS TURNED OFF, YOU SHOULD STOP UNTIL IT STARTED AGAIN, WHICH COULD INDICATE THE TIME IT WAS TURNED ON.
AND THEN THE METER WAS NEVER, IT, THE VALVE WAS NEVER TURNED BACK OFF.
BUT THE USAGE YOU SEE STOPPED AUTOMATICALLY.
SO WHATEVER IT WAS GOING THROUGH HAD TO HAVE STOPPED.
WHICH COULD INDICATE A FLUSH VALVE, UH, A SINK RUNNING.
I MEAN, 240 GALLONS AN HOUR IS NOT MUCH.
WHAT IF A, WHAT IF IT'S A ONE HALF INCH LINE, RUN IT FOR 24 HOURS OR AVERAGE ABOUT 250 GALLONS AN HOUR.
YOU SEE HOW MUCH ONE HALF INCH LINE, ONE HALF INCH LINE RUN IT FOR 24 HOURS.
WELL, WE'LL USE ABOUT 250 GALLON, BUT THIS IS, IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE ACCORDING.
I MEAN, I'M JUST, I HE'S POINTING TWO DAYS TO FILL UP A 13,000 GALLON SWIMMING POOL.
IF, IF YOU HAVE A, BUT IF YOU HAVE A, IF YOU HAVE A TOILET THAT CYCLES EVERY MINUTE OR EVERY, EVERY, LET'S SAY EVERY EVERY HOUR IT DUMPS 10 GALLONS TURNED.
SO CJ YES, IF, UH, OVER A 24 HOUR PERIOD, A A, UH, A TOILET THAT EMPTIES 10 GALLONS IS GOING TO USE 240 GALLONS OF WATER.
BUT IF IT'S CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING, THEN IT CAN USE A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
A DRIPPING FAUCET, WE'VE SEEN IT GO UP INTO THE THOUSANDS OVER A TIME PERIOD, WHATEVER.
IF IT'S 240 GALLONS AN HOUR, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S AN HOUR.
THAT'S THE HOURLY REPORT YOU GOT THERE.
I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING TONIGHT, SO I'M THE ONLY ONE
WELL, BUT THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S 240 GALLONS PER HOUR, IF I'M READING THAT CORRECTLY.
SO YES, THAT IS, IT'S 240 GALLONS PER HOUR.
SO A THREE INCH LINE, BUT IT'S A CONTINUOUS USE OF THE SAME AMOUNT, WHICH MEANS IT'S SOMETHING RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY.
I MEAN, SOMETHING GOT TURNED OFF, SOME GOT TURNED OFF, SOME GOT TURNED OFF.
BECAUSE WHENEVER YOU NOTICE ON HERE THAT IT RAN LIKE THAT UNTIL IT STOPPED.
SO THAT 10 GALLON, WE ONLY CHARGING A THREE BILL ON ALL THAT WATER.
WE'RE ONLY CHARGED FOR A THREE THREE BILL FOR ALL THAT WATER USAGE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WENT THROUGH THE METER.
THERE'S NO LATE CHARGER PENALTY ATTACHED TO THIS.
SO YOU'RE CHARGED HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THE SEWER.
WELL, WHATEVER THE WATER SEWER, WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN THAT FOR THAT, FOR THAT WATER.
WATER CONSTANTLY RUNNING DOWN.
NO, BECAUSE THAT'S FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT IT RAN.
IT DIDN'T RUN CONTINUOUSLY PAST THIS TIME.
YEAH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S 240 PER HOUR CONTINUOUSLY FOR OVER A MONTH.
AND WE ONLY GOT US 3000, $3,000.
SO CAN YOU REMEMBER THIS APRIL 1ST? SO LIKE, I MEAN, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, UH, LIKE SINCE IT'S THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THE VALVE SHUT, LIKE WHOEVER TURN THE, TURN IT BACK ON, USE THE WATER.
BUT IS IT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK IT EVERY DAY TO SEE IF IT'S STILL OFF? IF THERE'S NO ACCOUNT? RIGHT.
THERE'S NO ACCOUNT THERE, THERE'S NOT AN ACTIVE ACCOUNT.
AND I THINK THEIR QUESTION, I DON'T
[01:25:01]
THINK THEY UNDERSTOOD WHY THAT IT TOOK SO LONG FOR THEM TO GET A BILL.I DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST ONE QUESTION.
SO, SO IN, IN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, UH, COUNCILMAN, SO IF WE, IF THE WATER IS STILL RUNNING, I, WE, WE, WE, WE GOT A BILL, WE MIGHT GO IN THERE AND CHECK THE, CHECK EVERYTHING AND SWAP THE CORRECT, BUT WE DON'T, OUR SYSTEM WON'T FLAG.
IT DOESN'T FLAG UNLESS THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A, LIKE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR SYSTEM.
WELL, I, IN, IN YOUR LIKE THE, WHAT YOU CALL A CODE OF ORDINANCE, YOU SAID, UH, AFTER 30 DAYS, LIKE WE, WE DID NOT PAY THE BILL.
YOU SHOULD, UH, TURN OUT, TURN THE WATER OFF AGAIN.
BUT OUR SYSTEM THAT WE, WE ONLY MONITOR ACTIVE ACCOUNTS.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE AN UNACTIVE ACCOUNT, OUR ASSUMPTION IS THAT, THAT THERE'S NO WATER VOLUME.
WHY WERE YOU IN THE WATER? IF I WERE TURNING, HAVING MOVE IN, IT COULD BE THREE DAYS.
STILL YOUR WATER ALL THIS TIME AT YOUR ORANGE, HOW MUCH FREAKING WATER IS? WELL THEY'RE, THEY'RE STEALING YOUR WATER.
LIKE THE, ACTUALLY THE, THE WATER OFFICE IS BEFORE THE METER.
I'LL GIVE YOU MY OPINION, BUT I STRUGGLE.
THE QUESTION IS CAN IT USE THAT MUCH? AND WE HAVE KIND OF PROOF THAT IT CAN, BUT I AM CONCERNED OF WHY US AS A CITY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOCK THAT BY, LOCK THAT METER UP BECAUSE IT'S ON EVERY HOUSE.
IT'S ON MY BUSINESS AND IT'S ON, I WOULD BE, JOHN, YOU THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER BUSINESS AROUND THERE THAT YOU CAN'T LOCK OFF? LOCK OUT THEIR WATER THERE SOME OUT THERE THAT HAVE THESE TYPE OF VALVES ON THEM.
I DIDN'T MEAN THAT IN THE OTHER WAY.
NO, THERE ARE BALL VALVES OUT THERE.
UH, PUTTING A, UH, WHY THAT PUT IN THERE? AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS BUILT A CONTRACTOR PROBABLY THINK CONTRACT.
THE CONTRACTOR PUT THAT SERVICE IN AND PROBABLY PUT THE BALL VALVE IN THERE.
UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL BALL VALVES OUT THERE.
ARE THEY ALLOWED TO PUT ANY KIND OF SECOND VALVE AT THE BUILDING YES.
TO KEEP WATER FROM THAT'S INSIDE OR INACCESSIBLE? YES.
A LOT OF BUILDINGS WILL GO OUT THERE BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE BUILDING.
THEY HAVE A VALVE SHUT SHUTOFF OUT THERE.
EVEN HOUSES, A LOT OF HOUSES HAVE THAT TOO.
BUT TECHNICALLY A CITIZEN OR A BUSINESS OWNER'S NOT SUPPOSED TO TO DO ANYTHING TO THE WATER LINE PRIOR TO THE METER.
LIKE I, LIKE IF I HAVE A WATER LEAK IN MY HOUSE, TECHNICALLY I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO GO TURN THAT VALVE IN FRONT OF THE METER.
THAT'S RIGHT NOW FOR COMMON SENSE.
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE A VALVE AT YOUR HOUSE.
WE STRESS THE PEOPLE WHEN WE TALK, WHEN PLUMBER ARE OUT THERE, UH, THEY WANT SHUT OFF THE WATER POLICY.
SO IF YOU BREAK THAT VALVE BEFORE WE CHARGE THE, IT'S ACTUALLY CONSIDER A, BUT THAT'S THE ASSUMPTION.
WELL, THEY FILED A CRIMINAL CLAIM THAT THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW THEY'RE UNDER OATH WAS DIFFERENT THAN, HERE'S MY QUESTION.
WHO HAD IT TURNED OFF? THE OWNER, THE OWNER, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD IT TURNED OFF AND THEN WHO HAD IT TURNED BACK ON? OR WHO REQUESTED IT TO BE BACK ON C WHO TOOK OVER THE BILL AND REQUESTED SERVICE TURNED ON? THEY, WHEN THEY RENTED IT OR IT, AND IT WAS ALREADY ON.
AND THEN WE WENT BACK TO, TO SEE BECAUSE DID NOT MATCH WHAT THE, SO WHEN WE NOTICED THAT AS, AS OBVIOUSLY THE WAS ON, AND THEN WHERE WAS GOING THROUGH IT, WENT THROUGH IT AND IT STOPPED.
WELL, HERE'S MY NEXT QUESTION.
IF, IF WE HAVE A SERVICE THAT WE DISCONNECT, IT'S THE TOP SOMEWHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS DISCONNECTED.
I MEAN, I GUESS THERE'S A METHODOLOGY WE COULD USE TO DO THAT.
IN THE PAST, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE ASSUMPTION THAT IF WE SEE AN IT'S LOCKED, IT CAN'T BE TURNED OFF.
RIGHT? WELL, AND I THINK, UH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A CRIME FOR TAMPERING WITH METER, RIGHT? YES.
SO IF SOMEBODY GOES AND TURNS ON THAT METER, THERE'S NO ACCOUNT THEY'RE NOT AUTHORIZED TO TURN ON THE METER.
AND SOMEBODY DOES THAT ANYWAY, WHETHER IT'S A BALL VALVE OR THEY HAVE TO BREAK THE LITTLE SEAL OR WHATEVER THEY DO.
IF THEY ILLEGALLY TURN ON THAT WATER KNOWING THAT THERE'S NO ACCOUNT, NO WATER SERVICE, THEN THAT WOULD BE A CRIME.
RIGHT? AND SO IN, IN MANY OCCASIONS,
[01:30:01]
YOU TURN THE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S LIVING IN A HOUSE, THEY DON'T HAVE WATER, LIKE YOU SAID.YOU PUT THE LITTLE WIRE DEAL ON THERE AND THEY WANNA TAKE A BATH ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THAT THEY, YOU TURN OFF THE WATER, SO THEY JUST GO BREAK IT AND TURN ON THE WATER AND GO USE IT.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME WHEN THERE'S CASES THAT THERE'S POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL CRIME, RIGHT? SOMEBODY TURNED ON THAT VALVE AND THEY WOULD SHOULDN'T, THEY WEREN'T AUTHORIZED, SHOULDN'T HAVE.
RIGHT? SO IT'S EITHER THE OWNER COMMITTED THE CRIME OR SOMEBODY CAME IN AND TURNED IT ON FOR WHATEVER REASON.
MAY BE KIDS CRAWLED AROUND AND FOUND THIS VALVE AND SAID, OH, THIS IS COOL.
AND TURNED IT ON AND THEN WENT AND TURNED IT OFF.
MAYBE SOMEBODY WAS STEALING THE WATER, PUT A WATER HOSE ON IT AND WAS RUNNING IT TO THEIR HOUSE NEXT DOOR OR SOMETHING.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO REALLY FIND OUT WHERE THE WATER'S GOING.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME IF THERE'S, IF THE PROPERTY OWNER IS WILLING TO SIGN A SWORN AFFIDAVIT AND SAY A SOMEBODY TAMPERED WITH THE METER, THERE WAS A CRIME.
IT WASN'T US, WE DIDN'T TURN ON THAT METER.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, UH, PUT AN AFFIDAVIT SWEAR UNDER OATH THAT UH, THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO SAY THEY DIDN'T TURN ON THAT METER, SOMEBODY ELSE TURNED ON THE METER, THEN THAT SEEMS TO ME KIND OF RESOLVES THE PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO A GREAT, TO A GREAT DEGREE.
UM, BUT THEN WHAT ABOUT THE FEE? WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS THAT'S THE QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS, THERE, THERE, THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD THE CITY, IF THEY CAN'T, IF THEY CAN'T TOUCH THE METER, SHOULD THEY BE RESPONSIBLE? IF THAT'S THE, IF THE CITY CAN'T LOCK THE METER, THAT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN FILE WITH YOU.
THEY GOTTA FILE IT WITH THE, MY THING IS, IS THAT, I MEAN, IF THEY, IF THEY NEVER WOULD'VE CAME TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED THE WATER BACK ON, THEN WE WOULD'VE NEVER EVEN KNOWN.
I IT'D STILL BE, IT'D STILL BE WRONG.
WELL I THINK THAT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, YOU, YOU'VE GOT TWO THAT THAT'S TRUE.
BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, THE WE WATER WAS TURNED ON BY SOMEONE.
THE WATER WAS USED FOR A FINITE PERIOD AND THEN IT WAS SHUT OFF, NOT SHUT OFF AT THE VALVE, BUT THE USAGE STOPPED.
SO SOMEBODY WAS IN CONTROL OF IT.
AND SO WITH THE, WITH THE, WOULD THE PROPERTY OWNER BE RESPONSIBLE IF SOMEBODY ELSE STOLE FROM YEAH.
I MEAN, EITHER WAY YOU STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BILL, THE PROPERTY OWNER STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BILL.
IF IT WAS A CRIME, WELL, I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE.
WELL, YEAH, BUT THE TAMPERING, THE CRIME WOULD BE A CRIME AGAINST THE CITY.
IT WOULDN'T BE A CRIME AGAINST THE PERSON.
IS THERE ANY GALLONS ON THE BILL YOU GOT BY CHANCE? I'M SORRY, I WAS CURIOUS.
DID WE, IS THERE, SHE WAS QUESTIONING THE AMOUNT OF GALLONS, BUT THAT'S NOT AN, THAT'S NOT AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF GALLONS FOR AN HOUR.
IF SOMETHING'S RUNNING, I DON I GET THAT.
BUT THE WATER WAS TURNED ON APRIL 1ST AT 4:00 PM ACCORDING TO THIS CHART.
AND IT WAS TURNED OFF ON MAY 9TH AT 3:00 PM I, I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT MATH, BUT THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 32 DAYS TIMES 24 HOURS.
HOW MANY NINE HOURS TIMES 240.
SO DID WE BILL 'EM FOR OVER 200,000 GALLONS OF WATER? YOUR WATER, YOUR WATER AMOUNT ON THIS BILL WAS, UH, 1,672.
IS THERE, IS THERE AMOUNT OF GALLONS ON THERE? IT HAS THE GALLONS, THE USAGE WAS 293,400 GALLONS.
THAT'S WHAT THE MATH COMES OUT TO WHEN SHE WAS AT, WHEN YOU WERE ASKING RIGHT ABOUT HOW MUCH WATER COULD GO THROUGH THAT PIPE.
THIS IS FOR THAT TIMEFRAME WE READ TO THE HUNDREDS WE BUILT FOR THE THOUSANDS.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO ZEROS PAST THAT.
FOUR THAT MAKES IT 290 3004 OH GALLONS IS WHAT WAS UH, USED DURING, ON THIS PARTICULAR BILL.
SO THAT WATER USAGE TO THAT TWO THREE COME TO 1670.
WHICH THERE AGAIN, THE SEWER SIDE OF THAT IS THE SAME HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT, THE CHARGE AS WELL CAP 20,000.
BUT HE WAS MENTIONING EARLIER IT SHOULD BE MORE FOR THE AMOUNT OF GALLON.
WELL IT DON'T, IT IT MASS OUT.
I I WAS LOOKING FOR A, A, A CARD TO FACTOR IT OUT, BUT YEAH, WELL I JUST TOOK THE DAYS AND MULTIPLIED IT TIMES 24 HOURS AND THEN MULTIPLIED THAT TIMES 240 GALLONS AN HOUR
[01:35:01]
AND IT COMES OUT, I COME UP WITH 200 AND ACTUALLY I COME UP WITH 288,000, BUT I COULD HAVE MISSED A DAY.I FIGURED I WAS CURIOUS WHEN HE ASKED THAT QUESTION, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE MAY BE SOME SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
YEAH, JUST ME PERSONALLY BECAUSE YES, WE TURNED IT OFF, BUT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR TURNING IT OFF AT THE BUILDING.
CAN I READ THIS, UH, OFF THE, THE CITY? YES SIR.
ABOUT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE NOTIFIED WITHIN 30 DAYS.
THE CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY IS FROM THE WATER METER TO THE HOME OR BUSINESS.
THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL WATER LINES MEANS VALVES, FIRE ANTS, TAPS AND LOOPS WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT AWAY.
AND THE EASEMENT PRIOR TO THE METER WE'RE RESPONSIBLE.
THE METER FORWARD, THE BALL STAYS SHARP, THERE SHOULD BE NO WATER.
SO ANY WATER IS CAUSED BY THE WATER BEING TURNED OFF.
UH, I MEAN THE VAULT BEING TURNED OFF AND THE IS CORRECT.
IS WHAT OUR ATTORNEY WAS TRYING TO SAY WHILE AGO.
AND IT, ARE YOU WILLING TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THE, THAT Y'ALL DIDN'T TURN IT ON, THAT SOMEBODY ELSE TURNED IT ON? SO LIKE ONCE WE FILED A A, LIKE A POLICE, UH, POLICE CASE, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEAL? WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE THAT ARE YEAH, BUT THE QUESTION IS IN, IN THEM TO CONSIDER WHAT THEIR DECISION IS.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU WILLING TO, IF YOU FILE A, IF YOU FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE POLICE THAT YOU DID NOT TURN, YOU DIDN'T TAMPER WITH THAT METER, YOU DIDN'T TURN THAT VALVE ON, RIGHT? TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO SWEAR UNDER OATH.
THAT'S MA'AM DID, YOU DID NOT DO THAT.
AND, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE DECISION MAY, MAY, MAY NOT, MAY OR MAY NOT FEEL THAT THAT MAY HAVE IMPACT.
THAT MAY HAVE IMPACT ON YOUR CREDIBILITY.
'CAUSE ANYBODY CAN COME UP HERE AND SAY SOMETHING.
BUT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SWEAR UNDER OATH THAT YOU DIDN'T DO IT, AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING, RIGHT? IS IT? AND THEN THE QUESTION IS THAT THE CRIME, IS THE CRIME COMMITTED AGAINST THE CITY, THE CITY WHO OWNS THE METER THAT WAS TAMPERED WITH OR THE CRIME, THE PROPERTY OWNER? OR IS THE CRIME AGAINST THE, WELL IF THEY STEAL THE WATER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE METER, ARE THEY STEALING FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER? AND THEN ON OUR SIDE OF THE METER, THEY'RE STEALING FROM THE CITY.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE ACTUAL METER? I THINK FROM CITY, WELL, FROM FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVES BOUND BY WHAT'S IN THE ORDER.
WHAT'S THAT? WELL, I SAID FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE BOUND BY WHAT'S IN THE ORDER CITY METER TO WHICH THAT PROPERTY IS ASSIGNED AND WATER USED ON THAT PROPERTY.
MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT IF WE START SOMETHING LIKE THAT, EVERYBODY ELSE OUT HERE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE CAMP METERS.
AND I MEAN, I HAVE LANDLORDS THAT OWN HOUSES THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA REDO AND CLEAN UP AND WHILE THE METERS TURNED OFF, THEY GO OUT THERE AND TURN THAT METER ON AND USE IT AND THEY TURN BACK OFF.
AND WE, FOR SERVICE AND THEN RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER THE SAME WAY.
I JUST, I MEAN EVERYBODY SIT THERE, BUT WATER LOSS, UH, NOW WHETHER THERE CONCESSIONS HERE WITH REGARDS TO THE BUILDING VACANT, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, I JUST THROW IT OUT AS AN OPTION.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE WATER PORTION OF THIS, WHICH IS PORTION, IT ONLY CHARGE THE WATER, YOU'RE CAPTURING WHAT THE WATER COST WAS AND THE SEWERS LEFT OUT.
BUT, BUT, UH, I WOULD THAT JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IT.
YEAH, THAT'S WHERE I WAS HEADED.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AS A POSSIBILITY, NOTT, BECAUSE I DO, I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE CAN'T LOCK IT.
WELL, I WAS GONNA GO THERE, BUT I DIDN'T
BUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE AS OUR LAWS OR RULES THAT WE HAVE, AS YOU JUST STATED, I THINK WE HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL IT, TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THAT WATER.
DO WE TAKE ON A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT? WELL, I MEAN IF, IF I HAD MINE TURNED OFF, I WOULD PRESUME THAT IT WOULD STAY OFF.
AND IF I DID GO TURN IT ON AND THERE WAS WATER USE IT TO MY HOUSE, I'D BE, I WOULD BE A LITTLE CONCERNED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP TO GO INTO THIS, BUT I'M WILLING TO BET IF Y'ALL, SOMEBODY DOESN'T PAY THEIR WATER BILL AND WE HAVE A CUTOFF DATE,
[01:40:01]
THAT METER'S TURNED OFF AND LONG, IT'S NOT JUST TURNED OFF.WELL, IN THIS CASE, WE TURNED IT OFF AND DIDN'T LOCK IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MEANS TO BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MEANS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT I DO AGREE UNDER WHAT MR. WILKERSON SAID.
HE, HE DIDN'T PUT A HAW ON THAT.
AFTER, AFTER WE, WE ON THE ROOT ON THE, THE TOP WALL DOOR.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS LOCKING THE METER OUT.
IT'S NOT LOCKING THE METER OUT.
AND IT'S ONLY KEEPING THE OUT THERE.
WELL I THINK THERE, IF IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE WATER ON AND OFF TO THAT BUILDING, YOU REALLY CAN'T LOCK IT UP BECAUSE IF THEY GET A BURST PIPE OR SOMETHING, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TURN THE WATER OFF.
BUT I CAN TAKE THE END OF THAT BECAUSE IT'S ONLY ALUMINUM.
SO I SAID YOU ONLY LOCK THE LOCK ON THERE OR THAT TURN.
WELL, THE LOCK ONLY KEEPS HONEST PEOPLE HONEST ANYWAY.
NOW WE, WE DID REQUEST THERE, BUT I SAID IT'S NOT GONNA, WELL I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB.
WE DO HAVE RULES AS I FELT LIKE I WAS FORCED TO STICK WITH, WITH MR. MI HERE ABOUT HIS SITUATION.
THE WATER GOES THROUGH THE METER, THE PROPERTY OWNER'S RESPONSIBLE.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH BLACK AND WHITE ON THE SECOND HALF OF THAT FROM ME PERSONALLY.
THERE'S FOUR OTHER PEOPLE UP HERE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SOME SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF NOT LOCKING IT OUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CONSIDER RECOUPING THE WATER COSTS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
AND POSSIBLY, AND THE SEWER COST, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT.
IF THAT'S THE WAY THIS CAN WORK.
DID THEY PAY THE BILL? NO, THEY HAVE NOT PAID THE BILL YET.
WE WERE IN SUSPENSE WHILE WE, WELL, THERE WAS NO WORK MONEY FEE BECAUSE WE OKAY.
WE, THIS, THIS, THIS IS CURRENT AS IF THIS BILLING CYCLE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S RIGHT OR WRONG.
HAVE BOTH BY COUNSEL, CHRIS, THAT DUE TO THE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, THAT THE USAGE FOR THE WATER BE CHARGED TO THE CUSTOMER AND THE SEWER SEWER PORTION BE CREDITED, HAD A SECOND BUY AND COUNT THE PERSON BOX FLOORS OPEN FOR DISCOVERY.
HOW MUCH IS IT? IS THAT LIKE HALF AND HALF? 16? 1,616 SOMETHING? YEAH, ABOUT 50%.
SO OUR QUESTION IS STILL THE SAME.
SO IF THE, LIKE THE BOTTLES ALREADY TURNED OFF, LIKE WHY THERE'S WATER FLOWING, THAT EXAMPLE, YOUR HOUSE, SOME, YOU KNOW, HEY CAUSING CITY WATER.
YOU'LL YOU CHECK OUT AND SOMEDAY, OKAY, YOU RIGHT.
WELL SINCE YOU'RE ASKING ME PERSONALLY, WHEN I HAVE WATER TURNED OFF ONE OF MY HOUSES, THE CITY TOUCH IT OFF THE METER AND I TURN IT OFF AT THE BUILDING.
WELL THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO TURN OFF.
YOU JUST TOLD ME THERE'S ANOTHER BALL VALVE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
I, I HAVE A PICTURE OF, WE, WE TURNED OFF THE METER, IF NOT THE NEGATIVE INSTALL ON HERE AND THEN YOU CHECK THE PROPERTY INTO THE BUILDING, HAD A HOUSE SHEET IN THE GARAGE, SST TO TURN OFF TO THE HOUSE.
SO BY THE TIME I HAD TURN OFF WAS TURN OFF, JUST TURN OFF HOUSE.
WE, THE SHEET ROCK, THERE IS A VALVE DOWNSTREAM OF THE METER AND IT'S IN THE PICTURE HE'S GOT HERE.
WHENEVER THEY DID THE METER TEST, THEY HAD TO TURN THE VALVE DOWNSTREAM, THE METER OFF
[01:45:01]
TO BYPASS THAT GOES AROUND THE METER AND TURN OFF.THEY WERE NEVER OUT THE WATER IN THE BUILDING.
THE WATER WAS SENT THROUGH THE METER AND WHERE THEY DID THE TEST ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE METER, THEY PUT A FILL ON THERE AND FLOAT AND FLEW, FLOATED THROUGH THERE TO MEASURE IT THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
THAT'S WHERE THEY COME UP WITH THEIR METER TEST.
BUT IN YOUR CASE, IF YOU HAVE A VALVE AT THE BUILDING WHERE THAT WATER COME LINE COMES UP OUT IS WHAT HE'S REFERENCING IS THAT YOU CAN SHUT THAT VALVE OFF THE BUILDING AND THERE'S NO WATER GOING INTO THE BUILDING.
SO SHE'S SAYING SHE DOES NOT AGREE WITH ME.
I RESPECT THAT YOU, BUT THAT'S MY FEELINGS ON WELL TECHNICALLY THIS YEAH.
I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IN SITUATION.
I WAS JUST DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS ON THE WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND BEFORE COUNSEL.
THE THE CITY WILL REDUCE THE SEWER PORTION.
BUT I MEAN WHEN THE METER WAS TURNED OFF, THE METER WAS IN YOUR NAME.
SO UNTIL THE METER IS TURNED BACK ON, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE USAGE THAT GOES THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT METER.
WHETHER, WHETHER IT WAS CRIMINAL OR WHETHER YOU TURNED IT ON OR SOMEBODY ELSE TURNED IT ON, YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE.
SO THAT'S, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE BEING BILLED FOR, JUST THE WATER THAT WENT THROUGH THERE.
SO BASICALLY HALF OF THAT AMOUNT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE FINAL DECISION.
UM, SO SHE'S SAYING, UH, SHE'S NOT AGREED WITH THAT RESULT.
WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE THE STRATEGY? THERE IS NO NEXT STEP.
SO WHAT IF WE DECIDE NOT TO PAY THAT BILL? IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO PAY IT, I'M ASSUMING IT'LL STAY CURRENT.
IT CAN'T BE TURNED BACK ON UNTIL SHE PAYS THE BILL.
SO IF YOU CAN TURN OFF OUR WATER NOW, WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT BEFORE? I'M SORRY.
IF YOU CAN TURN OFF THE, THE, LIKE THE SHUT OFF THE WATER NOW.
LIKE WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT BEFORE? WE ASSUMED IT WAS WE TURNED IT ON.
THE FACT IT GOT TURNED BACK ON NEGLIGENTLY CRIMINALLY AT SOME POINT, IT'S HER RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK ONTO THESE THINGS AS WELL.
THE CITY CAN'T TAKE ON EVERY BUILDING RESPONSIBILITY AFTER WE DO ADJUST.
YOUR, YOUR POLICY SAYS, YES SIR.
THAT'S THE POLICY AND THAT'S THE DECISION WE'VE MADE.
THIS ITEM, THIS ITEM IS CLOSED SO Y'ALL CAN DISCUSS IT OUTSIDE OR WHATEVER, BUT JUST, UH, ASKING HIM.
WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT WHY, WHY DIDN'T WE NOTICE? NOTICE THE 30 DAYS AFTER THE WATER, WATER WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
LIKE THERE WAS A USAGE IN YOUR SYSTEM, BUT YOU DIDN'T NOTICE US WITHIN 30 DAYS BECAUSE WE WEREN'T FLAGGED IN OUR SYSTEM.
THAT'S A FAILURE ON OUR SYSTEM TO NOT FLAG ACT NON-ACTIVE ACCOUNTS.
SO YOU WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SO FOR FAILURE.
AND SO COUNSEL'S TAKEN HALF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT BECAUSE IF IT'S AN ACTIVE ACCOUNT AND WE SEE ANOMALOUS USAGE, THEN WE WILL NOTIFY YOU.
WE'RE TAKING SOME RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT'S WHY WE CUT THE BILL IN HALF.
IT'S Y'ALL NEED TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE SO WE CAN FINISH OUR MEETING.
NO, SORRY, I JUST ASK HIM, BUT JUST YEAH, BUT Y Y'ALL CAN, Y'ALL CAN CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUTSIDE.
[01:50:01]
TRANSPORT ME.BUT WE CAN NO LONGER SPEAK ABOUT IT.
WE CLOSED IT, IT, IT, IT, IT'S OVER.
YEAH, WE, WE CAN'T NO LONGER TALK ABOUT IT.
[ V. NOTICE/ ANNOUNCEMENT OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS]
WILL BE NOTICE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS.WE'LL HAVE A EASTER EGG HUNT, A MUNICIPAL PARK, APRIL 17TH AT SIX O'CLOCK, UH, APRIL THE 18TH AT GOOD FRIDAY.
AND CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED AND WE WILL HAVE A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING ON APRIL 24TH AT 7:00 PM AND ONE LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT I GUESS THAT I FORGOT TO DO EARLIER, CITY
ALONG WITH UH, SURFSIDE BEACH.
SO IT WAS A PRETTY DISTINCT HONOR TO BE I WAS GONNA SAY WE WERE THE FIRST CLASS TO BE, HUH? WE WERE IN THE FIRST CLASS.
CREDIT OUR PARKS DIRECTOR FOR JOB.
THE NEXT ITEM WOULD BE ADJOURN.
THE SECOND BACK COUNCIL PERSON.