Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Better late than never


So I suppose if you’re in the water/sewer business (even if you ARE a monopoly) a Car Wash is one consumer you may want to be especially vigilant with.

This F.L. Roberts operation on Rt. 9 at the gateway to the People’s Republic enjoyed five years without a bill…until just recently. $70,000! No interest charged, of course since it was the town’s boo boo.

Hey, you think they could have thrown in free car washes for municipal vehicles for a year. His Lordship’s rolling sign looks like it could use a cleaning.

8 comments:

maryd said...

Oh, that's a good one. How on earth could a CAR WASH not realize they weren't paying for WATER? They must have been earning a pretty good profit for a while there!
Didn't the one next door to it go under recently?

Larry Kelley said...

Yeah, kind of like running a golf course where you don't pay property taxes.

The Mobile Station next door just went out. You can bet the building will not become a daycare or restaurant.

O'Reilly said...

Wait a minute, five years without a bill and NO INTEREST charged?

Who in the town government decided it is equitable relief to forgive interest due by this water & sewer customer? I mean, it's not as if their water and sewer use is particularly high as compared to a normal home, cough cough.

Does everyone realize, when the business is not held accountable for its debt, all other water & sewer customers make up the difference?

How is it that back office failed to initiate billing? Why did it take five years before an audit found the error?

Is the Town Manager looking into this or instead spending his time deciding how to undermine the July 4th Family Parade and turn it into a free speech protest for everyone with a cause?

Larry Kelley said...

Yeah, not only NO INTEREST but they also are retiring it in installments--as though the F. L Roberts Corporation with 60 sites and 500 employees couldn’t cut a check for $70-K.

I kinda wish the average water/sewer user (and most of Amherst is on the system) REALIZED they make up the difference. Then there would have been more of an uproar over the idiotic 5 year “Strategic Agreement” with Umass when they give us $140,000 in “new money” to the General Fund but take back $40,000 of that by getting free effluent water for their power plant.

But since it comes out of the Sewer Fund…

Town officials don’t give a damn about the Water, Sewer, and Solid Waste Enterprise Funds! Because the money has to stay in those particular accounts and can’t be used for teachers or automobile/cell phone allowances.

I’m a little surprised the Town Manager didn’t call up the CEO of F.L Roberts and offer to settle the $70,000 Water/Sewer debt for $50,000 up front as long as the check was written to the Town of Amherst General Fund.

After all, they never expected this to become public.

Mike F said...

How could you ever say that the Peoples republic of amherst could ever make a mistake !, well maybe xmas trees,town manager, select board,on and on .......It seems it will never end. O'h yes his royal highness Weiss will continue his folly

Mark said...

So, when I fail to a pay parking ticket it goes up to $25. Five years and no interest? Where did they think the water was coming from?

Larry Kelley said...

Yeah Mark, and if you're a dog owner and you fail to pay the $5 license fee by June 1, it instantly jumps to $30.

maryd said...

OK, I just have to say it.
More money down the drain.