Meetings of Monday February 24th, 2014

1. Staff and council discussed a policy question with regard to new water meters, detected leaks, needed repairs and compensation requested.

Readings take place remotely each month on all water meters, in homes and in pits at the property line. Once the computer reader detects a leak a notice is sent to the utility customer. The customer is expected to respond to the notice. Some do, some don’t.

Some customers only respond when their bill arrives and they notice that consumption charges are high and the water may have leaked into the ground or been high because of a running toilet. Some customers then request that those extra charges be refunded or corrected on the bills.

Council has directed staff to write a policy for approval later this year that basically gives all customers time to receive a notice or notices and do the necessary remedial work before a bill is sent. Once a customer is notified and before the next notice is sent it is expected that such work is done and the Town is not liable. Those notices will also talk to the amount and cost of such water that is beyond the average experience of the past.

The policy so far has been that the Town is not responsible for leaks on the customer’s side of the meter or for leaks and breaks of pipes on private property. The Town has been liable for malfunctioning meters and problems with pipes on public land.

2. Subdivision and Developments Servicing Bylaw 1300 – this is a new rewrite of an old bylaw that was set for adoption but council has now asked that one provision be re-written before final approval. Only in the industrial park area  – new power poles were allowed to be erected for the first time – (not replacements). The policy in the rest of the municipality is that poles can be replaced but no new locations can be established as the future brings with it underground services for telephone, power and cable.

Councillor Dave Mattes requested that council consider doing this consistently across the municipality with no exceptions. His fellow Councillors agreed and that section will be re-written and brought back.

3. Council will fund an ad in the Legion’s Military Service recognition book as it has done in previous years and will purchase a small ad in the V-Day 2014 Program.