Brewster Hearing Set for Water Rate Hike for Outside Users
A Village of Brewster public hearing regarding a sharp price increase for water users outside the village borders is expected to see more elected officials than the five Brewster trustees that sit on the board.
The village is proposing to raise costs $300 per quarter, per unit for all outside water connections to cover the cost of repairs, including contractors, and labor and administration to water mains outside the village borders, according to the official notice sent out by the village.
The notice also asserted water mains outside the village limits are in a “deteriorated state” and repairs costs are anticipated to increase each year going forward.
During a Southeast town board meeting on Sep. 3, Southeast Supervisor Tony Hay notified outside water users in town about the public hearing scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) with a workshop today (Tuesday).
While Hay admitted the town has no direct involvement in the matter, he still wants to ensure those water users outside the village are represented. There are 54 outside users that could be impacted by the proposed changes.
Hay also sent a letter to those homeowners affected, stating he and other elected officials from Southeast plan to attend the village meeting and “we urge you to attend as well as the outcome will have a significant financial impact on you and your family.”
In an interview, Hay called the possible $1,200-per-year bump in payment “a considerable increase, really, really hefty.” He said he filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the village to get documentation that would provide insight into why the costs are going up so high.
Hay noted when the Mayor Jim Schoenig came to a town board meeting a few months ago, he said providing outside village users water put the village $40,000 in the hole, but by Hay’s estimate, this increase would add another $60,000 in payment.
“I want to know where (the village) gets the numbers,” Hay said. “Show me where this comes in.”
Schoenig and village clerk Peter Hansen have maintained that to provide water to outside users has put a strain on the village’s budget because work on water lines that must be performed by outside contractors, yet still paid for by the village.
Schoenig also stated many outside water users owe money to the village and a contract was even sent to those outside water users that the village said every property owner must return. The contract has many clauses, including giving the village the authority to shut off water if a resident doesn’t pay their bill after 30 days and can be subject to interest and penalties in the same way a village resident would have to pay and only the outside water users, not the residents within the village, would pay for repairs to water lines that directly affect them.
The village has even sent a letter to Hay and the Southeast government, threatening to shut off Peaceable Hill Water District because of an outstanding balance owed and because the town didn’t return a contract sent by the village. That’s one of a handful of letters the village has sent out to water users.
Hay said he believed the alleged owed water payment was something already settled on back in 2012. Back than, Hay said he spoke with the village and the bill was adjusted because the town thought it was paying too much and “evidently the number we settled on and they kept the difference on their books. It was around $9,000 and change.”
“The $26,000 is explainable and the not signing the contract, I didn’t believe that we had to sign the contract and I’m not sure if we’re going to or not so I’m not sure what’s going to happen there,” Hay said.
