Archive for Saturday, September 26, 2009
Oak Creek resident owes 15 years of water fees
Oak Creek resident plans to pay $10K bill within a week
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Oak Creek — Bob Lenhardt said he wasn't surprised at the bill for nearly $10,000 levied by the Oak Creek Town Board on Thursday night. In fact, he had been waiting for it for about 14 years.
Lenhardt, who lives just southeast of Oak Creek city limits on Routt County Road 50Z, tapped into the municipal water supply in 1995 after he got permission from town officials, he said.
Lenhardt said he talked to former town clerk Nancy Crawford about getting municipal water at his house after he found that the property's well water was not good. He was told that a neighbor already had a pipe extending from the town, and that he could connect to it.
"It just stayed that way until a couple of weeks ago when I found out it wasn't right," Lenhardt said to the Town Board members. "So now I'd like to make up my back payments and get my work done."
According to calculations by the town, and not disputed by Lenhardt, he owes $7,737 in out-of-town water charges for that time, along with a $2,000 tap fee, for a total bill of $9,737.
Town Board member Gerry Greenwood said he wanted to create a contract with Lenhardt with a lien on his property until the bill is paid, but Lenhardt said that was not necessary, and that he would pay the bill within a week.
"If it's required, I'll do it," Lenhardt said.
Lenhardt now is receiving a bill for $61 per month for the water service.
"I guess when you get to the bottom of this, I've been saving this for 15 years," he said.
Lenhardt bought the house in 1993 but didn't connect to the water until 1995.
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