Robbinsville – One local municipality took no action on changing the town’s water shutoff rules, following a disagreement at its October meeting.
At its Nov. 3 regular meeting, the Town of Robbinsville Board of Aldermen discussed the water and sewer shutoff code of ordinance. The discussion came after Alderman and mayor-elect Shaun Adams expressed concerns about possible favoritism, when three people – one of whom was a relative of then-mayor Steve Hooper – were allowed to continue using water without paying past the normal shutoff point of two months.
However, several aldermen made clear that the mayor was not involved in the decision. The October meeting ended with the board deciding to seek payment from the individuals in question.
“You’ve got to be really sure on how you word everything in this ordinance,” Hooper said. “We don’t want to step aside from it.”
Town Attorney M. Ellen Davis recommended that the two months, past-due mark should be made more authoritative in the ordinance.
“After the shutoff list is printed, they’re already two months past due,” noted Alderman Brian “Taco” Johnson.
“For me personally, I would like for them to have the meters shut off after that third month of bill reading,” said alderman Debbie Beasley. “Hopefully they would come in and pay it before.”
Adams discussed the possibility of lowering the late fee and doing away with the reconnect fee.
However, the board ended up taking no action, leaving the ordinance as it was written before.
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Davis also presented more information on golf carts, saying that it looked like golf carts could only be allowed on two roads, noting they could not drive along state roads.
However, she said golf carts could be allowed to cross state roads with permission.
Darryl Slaughter – who has been pushing the council to pass a resolution, allowing the operation of golf carts in town limits – has to drive on a short stretch of state road to get into town.
Davis said she believed the board should consider holding a work session specifically devoted to the golf cart resolution.
“You’d need to spend a good 30 minutes to an hour now on the resolution,” Davis said.
Johnson also expressed some concerns regarding the amount of time the board was having to put into the golf cart issue, with Slaughter being the only one to express interest thus far.
“He has to travel on a state road to even get to town,” Johnson said. “I’m just wondering if we’re beating ourselves up over no reason.”
A work session on the golf cart resolution will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18.