River Heights ups the penalty for reconnecting shut-off utilities

By Lindsay Kite

February 10, 2005 | RIVER HEIGHTS -- A resolution to increase the fee for water reinstatement was passed by the City Council Tuesday.

To solve the problem of specific residents failing to pay water bills, the council has notified the offenders that their water will be shut off on March 30 if the bills are not paid in full. In its 6:30 meeting in the City Office Building, the council added to the penalty by passing a resolution to increase the water reinstatement fee each time a resident's water has to be shut off.

"The city is not in a position to be bill collectors," Councilman Brent Greenhalgh said. "These have been the exact same cases every year."

Councilwoman Mary Yancey expressed concern over the idea of charging an additional fee since the residents already can't pay their bills, but all members were in agreement after further discussion.

"If they aren't paying their bills now and they know it will be up later, then it will become more of a priority," Councilwoman Gladys Ann Atwood explained.

Fire inspection for local cabinet shops was another of the issues the council discussed. Each of the three cabinet shops located in River Heights was recently inspected by Liz Hunsaker, who noted modifications that should be made for the businesses to be legally licensed and comply with safety standards.

Though some of the changes will be costly, the council agreed it needed to work with the shop owners on a time frame, but make the modifications absolutely required due to safety concerns. The changes are especially important to the cabinet shop with apartments on top, Atwood said. "One spark and those people are at risk. We know what's there."

Yancey attended a meeting on the construction of a transportation corridor at 100 East, where she said representatives were trying to make it clear that it is "a couple of years away" before construction on 100 East is started.

"But I think we should expect it here much sooner than later," Yancey said. "The money is there and it needs to be spent. All of their questions are answered, so they can get to work."

When she asked engineers at the meeting how 500 East could access 100 East, Yancey said the engineer was not prepared with an answer. He told her, "You're asking for details and we don't have those yet," Yancey said.

Regarding the problem of ice and snow banks along roads, Public Works Supervisor Kent Parker said lots of people have been concerned the roads weren't done right. "Considering the storms we've had, I think we've done a pretty good job," he said. "Just look at some of the other towns."

Parker said he hopes it will warm up a bit so they can plow the banks back, because "right now they are like concrete."

In other business, City Recorder Sheila Lind said she received a call concerning a possible height violation on a house under construction. The home is being built from a 29-foot plan and the code says you can have a house up to 35 feet from the finished grade, Lind said.

The council decided there is no way to give a definitive answer because the house is not completed, so it can't be accurately measured right now. While recognizing no one wants to have their view blocked, "there are still going to be people across the street whether you like it or not," Lind said.

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