4/4/1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I MR. NELSON COMMENTED THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS IN GIFFORD HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ASSESSED ON THE AMOUNT OF WATER GOING THROUGH THE METERS BECAUSE THE U.D.U. METERS WERE NOT WORKING AND BILLS WERE ESTIMATED. HE, THEREFORE, FELT IT MAY BE IN SOME CASES•THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING CONSERVATIVE. COMMISSIONER Loy INFORMED MR. LUNDY THAT THE ASSISTANT ADMIN- ISTRATOR WILL BE GLAD TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC BILLS WITH HIM. SHE FELT ALL MUST REALIZE THAT THIS IS A NEW SYSTEM TO THE COUNTY AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLE SO THERE ARE BOUND TO BE SOME KINKS IN IT, AND IT IS, THEREFORE, PREMATURE TO REEVALUATE UNTIL WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO GET THE SYSTEM GOING PROPERLY. MR. LUNDY POINTED OUT THAT THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET ON THE SYSTEM, AND SUCH A WIDE DIFFERENCE IN BILLS WILL CERTAINLY NOT ENCOURAGE•PEOPLE TO JOIN ON, COMMISSIONER LYONS DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT HOLDING A CLASS TO TEACH THE PEOPLE TO READ THEIR OWN METERS, CHAIRMAN WODTKE DISCUSSED THE EXAMPLE GIVEN OF 7 PEOPLE IN A FAMILYASING 7,000 GALLONS OF WATER FOR $14.00 AND NOTED THAT TWO PEOPLE CAN USE 7,500 GALLONS PER MONTH. ACCORDING TO THE ENGINEERS, THE AVERAGE FOR ONE PERSON TO USE PER.DAY IS 130 GALLONS OR APPROXIMATELY 250 GALLONS PER DAY FOR TWO PEOPLE, WHICH EQUALS 7,500 GALLONS PER MONTH. THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO A BILL OF $15.00 FOR TWO PEOPLE. HE COMMENTED THAT THE CITY OF VERO BEACH NOW STATES THAT THEY USE 256 GALLONS PER INDIVIDUAL PER DAY. MR. LUNDY ASKED WHY THEN WOULD A FAMILY OF 7 BE CHARGED ONLY $14.00, AND CHAIRMAN NIODTKE STATED THAT IT OBVIOUSLY IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT USING THAT MUCH WATER. COMMISSIONER SIEBERT FELT THE POINT THAT HAS BEEN MADE IS 4` NOT THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING OVERCHARGED, BUT THAT SOME ARE GETTING A BREAK AND BEING UNDERCHARGED.. CHAIRMAN WODTKE NOTED THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF METER PROBLEMS OR PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE METER AND THE ROAD, BUT WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO DO ANYTHING ELSE. -21 APR 4 1979 BOOK 39 PAGE 3 15