Phi Delta Kappa will have to pay their $750 water and sewer bill from February but the Board of Public Works and Safety will allow them to pay it off in installments of $150 a month without a penalty.
Steve Keiser spoke for the non-profit Monday evening and asked the board to consider reducing the bill since it seems evident that the excessive bill didn’t just come from a toilet running.
Utility Superintendent Donnie Davidson told members of the Board of Public Works and Safety that the meter was tested by a third party and was well within limits. The city’s software was check for accuracy and passed and the transmitting and receiving equipment that is used to read the city’s water meters was found to be operating correctly.
Keiser said the Phi Delts typically use between 20-30 units each month and their bill usually runs $30 to $35. The excessive billing was for over 1200 units of water. He said it’s very odd that we wouldn’t be able to notice that amount of water flow.
Keiser compared the Phi Delta Kappa bill to the February bill for Oliver Ford where they do 30 to 50 car washes daily, have 4 restrooms, 3 drinking fountains and wash the floors every three days. Oliver Ford was billed for 1,123 units.
The Phi Delts admitted to a leaking toilet and suggested amending their bill to 100 units. City Councilman Duane Culp made a motion to change their billing to 100 units instead of the 1,200 units but the motion died for lack of a second.
Councilman Shawn Grobe motioned to have the Delts pay their normal monthly bill and an additional $150 each month on the excessive billing. That motion passed with a 4 to 1 vote with Culp voting against the motion.
