If you put a sign on an utility pole, you could be receiving a fine.
That is what the councilors are considering after hearing from Code Enforcement official Rich O’Donnell at their meeting on Monday night.
Councilor Anthony Ranieri had put in a resolution to try to fine the company that has been putting up foreclosure signs on poles on Main Street.
O’Donnell said that he has tried to find out who is responsible but has been unable to get a name or address. He said that this company could owe as much as $1,700 in fines. He also said that many people put signs on poles advertising their yard sales and that he or members of the Department of Public Works must then remove them after the date. Councilors agreed by having city employees remove these signs takes away from other services that they should be doing.
Water meters
It seems like the water meter issue is slowly going away.
Last spring, Councilor William Cardello was on the warpath as many constituents were complaining of excessive water bills due to faulty water meters or estimated bills.
Glen Doherty, Water Commissioner told the Councilors that the water problems of six months ago are under control.
Mayor Carlo DeMaria will be applying for a MWRA grant to replace the 130-150 large business meters that are under estimating the water usage.
William Rourke from the firm that the city has hired to assess this issue said that the city will have a payback in about a year and half from all the water that is not presently being charged to these businesses. He also noted that this part of the water meter program will be completed by February.
The cost is estimated to be $450,000.
Residential meters will also be replaced in the coming months.
The city plans to replace the 8,000 meters with new meters that can be read from the outside and give very accurate billing probably eliminating the present problem where homeowners pay an estimated bill that was greatly underestimated by sometimes thousands of dollars. The cost for this capital expenditure is estimated to be $2.5 million.
Lastly on the defective hydrants, Councilors heard that city workers have repaired almost half of these hydrants.
Both Fire Chief David Butler and Water Commissioner Glen Doherty said that they feel that the remaining 40 hydrants will be repaired shortly. Councilors congratulated these men and their staff for their work.