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The consideration of a water meter re-read fee became a hot topic of discussion at the Taylor Town Council meeting on June 6.
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In attendance at the meeting were Mayor David Smith, Vice Mayor Carl Cosper, and councilmen Bill Baldwin, Jason Brubaker, Kyle Peck and Shawn Palmer. Councilman Fay Hatch was absent.
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Town Manager Gus Lundberg presented the issues around the water meter re-reading, stating that the staff would like to recommend that the town impose a fee of $25 for re-read should it be found that town reading was in error.
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Lundberg continued, “Due to the increase in water rates that went into effect in January this year, we have seen a huge influx of people calling in and saying that their bills are not right.”
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Town Clerk Jeri Judd said it was not uncommon to have three or more calls in a day with more happening the week after the bills went out.
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Peck noted that this was the first year the water rates have been raised for awhile. “Maybe we should wait to impose a fee until next year.”
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Palmer added, “I think it is important to look at customer satisfaction and not penalizing our citizens. My point is, if we are missing the mark 50 percent of the time on the re-reads, then we are sending our guy out because someone didn’t read it correctly.”
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While Palmer agreed with Peck, saying, “I think we would have a happier public if we waited a year.” He also suggested that the fee be only $10 instead $25.
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Brubaker also suggested waiting until the error rate on the town’s part was corrected, saying, “Once we reduce the percentage of our errors, then we can impose a fee. I would not do it right now.”
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Cosper said, “People will take advantage of whatever is going on. They don’t like to pay more than what they have been paying, but I agree to making the fee $10. Charging a small fee will make people stop and think before they call.”
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Lundberg also agreed, saying, “There is a lot of education we need to put into this but my plan, if directed by council, is to put this fee on the annual fee schedule that will be presented at the next meeting.”
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In the end, Smith directed Lundberg to include a $10 water meter re-read fee to the annual fee schedule that will be presented at the July meeting. As Smith noted at that time the council can further discuss the issue and choose whether to leave the fee or remove it.
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The council also selected the members for the local Public Safety Retirement Board appointment.
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Lundberg shared, “The town is now officially a member of the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System for the fire department. Within that we have to have a separate board comprised of five people. Two are elected fire fighters from the department, with the chairperson being the mayor or the mayor’s designee, and then two spots for citizens-at-large.”
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All council members present voted to have Fire Chief Willie Nelson be the chairman, with retiring Police Chief Larry Scarber and Snowflake Town Clerk Katie Mesler filling the citizens-at-large positions and Rhonda Krouse appointed as secretary, contingent upon the clarification that Scarber can serve on this board as well as the one for the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department.
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In other business, the council:
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* Approved consent agenda, which included the April and May check registers in the amounts of $410,163 and $659,430, respectively. All council members present voted for this action, with Brubaker abstaining because he had not had time to review the material.
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* Directed Lundberg to look into the issue the new walking path is creating with the water ditch in front of Lonnie Sherwood’s yard.
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* Authorized Lundberg to execute an agreement with Arizona Department of Revenue Tax Administration, with all council members present voting for this action.
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* Approved the standard forms for video service license application/affidavit and agreement with all council members present voting for this action.
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*Approved the personnel policy manual update, with all council members present voting for this action.
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