Newark sorts out water bills
By Sandra Marcano

Landlords want to be notified when tenants don't pay their water bills.

Several landlords spoke out at the April 28 meeting of the Newark Municipal Board. Mobile home park owner Joe Alloco showed pages of tenants' names - tenants who stuck him with their water bills. Had Alloco been informed about the unpaid bills in a timely fashion, he could have taken the money from security deposits. Now, he must take at least eight former tenants to small claims court.

After two hours of hashing and rehashing tales of woe, landlords said they must be informed. They want to know about delinquent bills of their tenants, because the landlord/property owner is always responsible in the end. Overdue bills will eventually be added to the landlord's tax levy.

Landlord Ron Colacino offered to help solve the problem at no cost to the village. "I guarantee I'll come up with a solution to the problem." He talked about the software Harris is using and said: "Make the software fit the people of Newark." He wasn't interested in hearing about the procedure in 600 other communities.

Jim Homburger, who also has rental properties, asked to be notified immediately after one overdue bill. "Don't let it get to six or eight months behind," he said.

Jim Bridgeman, speaking as a landlord, not as a village manager, said he used to make phone calls about pending shut-off notices and go door-to-door, to get people to pay the water bills. He said it worked for years.

Russ Harris, who heads the firm that reads the meters and does the billing, reminded the people: "Life has changed in Newark. If we were living in an economy where everyone paid their bills, we would not be here today."

Some citizens have expressed anger at receiving reminder letters. Jim San Angelo, municipal board chairman, said the computer prints out a reminder letter which may seem insulting, but everyone gets the same letter after a certain period of time has passed, and bills remain unpaid.

Mobile home park owner Jim Mayo paid to have individual meters and a master meter installed. Now, there is a discrepancy involving 180,000 gallons water, and the reason for the discrepancy remains unknown. Mayo is liable for the water in question, until the problem is investigated and resolved. "When the village was running this, I never had a problem," he said. San Angelo countered, "We are not empowered to forgive water bills."

Harris also reminded people that the agreement to pay water bills is between landlord and tenant, not Village of Newark and the tenant.

In conclusion, in the cases where Harris Consulting bills the tenant on the landlord's behalf, the landlord will now be receiving copies of all late notices. Landlords who know their tenants are delinquent can take appropriate action.

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