Contributor Opinion By Wendy Kiang-Spray: The Connection Between My Water Bill And Hoffmann Lawn Signs
Oct 19, 2009 7:30 - 11 Comments
Posted by: Brad Rourke
Department: Contributor Opinion
Tags: by Wendy Kiang-Spray, election 2009, government services
Department: Contributor Opinion
Tags: by Wendy Kiang-Spray, election 2009, government services
>Earlier this year, we received a $2,500 utility bill from the City of Rockville. Yes, my jaw dropped as well. The following day, I steadied myself for a rumble with a phone operator to resolve this obvious clerical error. Unfortunately, after several visits by technicians from the City of Rockville as well as our own plumber, it was discovered that there was a broken water pipe under the house that had been steadily watering the lawns of all my neighbors for several months. Our plumber estimated that we were losing a gallon of water per minute.
It was impossible to believe we had a leak of this severity and for this length of time. There was no change in our water pressure. There was no standing water on our property. There was no water damage in the house. When I thought about the multiple trips I typically take with watering can in hand from rain barrel to garden while we were actually losing a gallon of water per minute under the house, well, I was almost moved to tears at the waste. How could we have known - and isn’t there a Rockville Water Czar watching for this kind of thing?
We needed help and answers. The City of Rockville informed us that on a particular date, they left a paper hang tag on the door warning that our water bill was irregularly high. There was no paper hang tag. Not on the door, not on the lawn. Even if the City did leave a paper hang tag, is this really the most responsible way to let a resident know about a broken water pipe involving this much of a waste of resources? My neighbor was practically harassed when the bottom 3 inches of her white picket fence was beginning to wear away. She was threatened fines through letters, repeated phone calls, and of course, paper hang tags.
I e-mailed [mayor] Susan Hoffmann. I met her at the Farmer’s Market a few years ago during her first term. I was impressed by her supposed interest in environmental issues. Surely she should know about this incident. She would care. And surely, she’d have some sort of idea for how a resident can pay a $2500 water bill. To make the financial situation more of a nightmare, by the time we received the first bill, we were a month or two into service for the next bill, which turned out to be about $1500. I get no response from Susan Hoffmann. Nothing. The Assistant to the City Manager was lovely however. She was quick to respond and always careful to show that she understood our situation. Despite several e-mails back and forth that yielded no real solutions, I noticed Susan Hoffmann’s feedback was curiously missing. I again copied Susan Hoffmann and expressed my frustration with the responsive yet ineffective messages from the Assistant and asked to hear from Susan Hoffmann. No comment. Perhaps I had set my hopes too high after meeting her at the Farmer’s Market and being impressed with her environmental agenda. I didn’t need her to pay my bill. I didn’t need her to come to my house with a box of tissues. A simple, “Wow, we’ll figure out how to deal with this”, or even a simple “omg” probably would have sufficed. Instead, I got no comment. Come on now, is Rockville really that big that she can’t find time for a simple “omg”?
We did get Rockville’s “ONE-TIME” discount on our water bill - a problem since I still consider myself young and hope to live in Rockville for a few more years yet - what if this happens again? We will have already used our one-time get-out-of-jail-free card. A problem for residents since I’m certain there are people in Rockville on fixed incomes who can’t afford to pay thousands of dollars in water bill when they’re not sufficiently notified about a severe water pipe break. A problem since the environmental aspect was never addressed. A problem since the City refused to acknowledge that the paper hang tag method may not be the most effective method of informing residents- and that there are no plans to make any changes to this method, despite my best arguments.
In the end, we took advantage of our one-time discount, paid the still very large water bill and spent over $3000 in repairs. Hopefully there is currently no leak under my house. I suppose I wouldn’t find out until the bill came though. For now, all is quiet in my little section of Rockville. Lawns are going dormant with our cold weather - save for the popping up of “Hoffmann for Mayor” lawn signs.
Will I vote for Hoffmann? Probably. I like the direction in which Rockville has been headed. Our city has become a great place to live and work. Vibrant. Exciting. With efforts to be green. But will I put a Hoffmann lawn sign on MY lawn? No comment.
Wendy Kiang-Spray
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I am a Susan Hoffmann supporter. I have a yard sign.You say you will vote for her as well. I fail to see the point of this post, which impugns her as you derisively put it- “supposed” interest in the environment because she didn’t personally reply to a high water bill? But it was clear you were already dealing with city staff.Did you actually get a “no-comment” response from Susan? Or you sent two emails, one that was copied to her, and no one replied? Most people don’t reply when they are the CC.
I sent one e-mail directly to SH and did not copy anyone else. I literally received no comment. Apparently my e-mail was forwarded on - which was a step in the right direction. When I forward messages on to people, I will generally at least say, “I am forwarding your e-mail to…” The point of my e-mail is to wonder at the lack of a human response. Very disheartening. As I said, city staff was responsive, but we went in circles. “Supposed” as I wrote it, means - I’ve seen LOTS of progress in Rockville, yet am disillusioned by my personal experience. 2 issues. Personal and environmental. The environmental concern stems from the way a water pipe leak is handled, not because she didn’t handle MY water bill. Perhaps it is difficult to fully understand until one is in the situation. My plumber mentioned that pipes in all houses of the age that mine is will eventually break. I’m sure I’m not the only one who will be in this situation. When the thousand dollar bills come…and the explanation about how you should have known is that a paper was left hanging on the doorknob a few months ago (and sorry if it blew away), it will be easier to understand the point of my post.
Ahhh poor Wendy……..I’d love to know the logic between your tale of woe and your bottom line…..still voting for SH. Hmmmm, care to explain?
I think I’ve explained my logic clearly enough in my post and again in my comment above. I don’t think it’s that difficult to understand how someone can dislike one aspect of a person yet still support the candidate’s overall mission in office. The aspect I dislike affected me personally. It was an eventful summer when the water pipe broke, but I certainly don’t think I ever felt that I had a story of WOE to pass along - warning maybe, frustration maybe, concern maybe. I do not seek sympathy from SH or anyone, but did expect from an official I elected, some human response when I had a serious concern. I’m excited by the ability we have as citizens to voice our opinions in this public forum. However, I’m not going to keep commenting on this post since I feel I’ve outlined everything pretty clearly. I ESPECIALLY will not be commenting on any more remarks that are condescending and sarcastic. I don’t expect all to agree, but am surprised by the nastiness.
Again not siding with either candidate for mayor (still undecided!), but I don’t think Mayor Hoffmann was at fault for anything here. I would imagine she gets a ton of e-mails daily, and she has to discard the ones that aren’t relevant to her or else she’ll spend her whole day replying to and forwarding e-mails. A complaint about an irregular water bill would definitely be better served if it were sent to the City Manager’s office where it would hopefully make it to the folks in public works. If none of those avenues worked, only then might it be time to climb the ranks to the City Manager’s five bosses.Also, I believe the get-out-of-crazy-water-bill-free card can be used once every X years, and not just once a lifetime. I forget what X is, but it’s somewhere on the City website oh fine I’ll go look it up… 5 yearsFrom http://www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/utility_fees.htm :”When an underground leak occurs between a water meter and a building and the customer could not have reasonably detected the leak, or when a water line bursts inside a building, the bill will be adjusted to the average amount of usage for the preceding four billing periods. Fewer periods may be used in the account has not been in existence for four billing periods. Evidence that such an event has occurred and been repaird (sic) shall be required. The leak must be repaired within 10 days of discovery. An account adjustment is limited to once every five years.”
Nick - I appreciate your good point. I guess where we differ is in the definition of “relevant”. I’m not really adept at the chain of command on the city level. I think a simple, “The City Manager will take care of this” would have been really great. Thanks for the link Nick. You’re right. We got 2 bills ($2500 and $1500) - one time discount on one and the once every 5 yr adjustment on the other. My first inclination was to copy and paste the e-mail because I’m feeling strangely like I’m defending myself here. Honestly, I was not expecting to have every word of my personal experience and opinion picked apart. I’m not a political commentator, just a typical Rockville resident. I’d like to think that sharing my story with my Rockville neighbors in real life would yield a less cantankerous dialogue. It’s been fun, Rockville cyber neighbors, but I’m out.
If Rockville is too big to have the mayor bother with a concerned citizen’s request for help, we are in sad shape, I think. It would have taken 10 seconds to forward the email to City Hall, and even less to send Wendy a copy of that forward. Further, the water bill is based on sewer usage, isn’t it? If the City techs had proof that the water wasn’t going into the sewer, the bill should have been adjusted accordingly.Good grief
Dear Rockville Central neighbors: I’m sorry to say that I am very torn on what’s happened here. This is a space where we can have a free give and take of information, and remain civil to one another. And I respect that there were points in Wendy’s piece that people felt they needed to respond to, and I also understand that none of the people who responded really went “over the line.” However, the accumulated effect was still enough to drive a new contributor away.That saddens me. I want this to be a welcoming place for all readers, not just those with thick skins. At the same time it has to be a free place for all to comment, too. There is a tension between those two goals. This is a balance we are constantly learning. I think this episode can be a learning experience.Perhaps this idea might be of use. When I write a comment or respond to something I read, I try (don’t always succeed, but I try) to ask myself: “Am I >reacting, or am I responding?”
My hope is that Rockville Central can be a space where most folks respond to one another, and fewer folks just react.
Brad
Nothing anyone wrote was out of line AT ALL ! Sorry if we all need to tiptoe around here with comments. We are a nation of the perpetually offended these days….but in reality we are setting ourselves up to be offended when we presume that other people manage their lives and react to situations the same way we do. Rights do seem to be going away quickly in America…but the right to go thru life unoffended never was there in the first place.Ultimately, the water leak situation is unfortunate and at least they try to make it “fair.” I had to replace my own water lateral this summer as part of some other work, cost me only about $1000 by digging the trench by myself with some friends. But standing in the 40″ hole I wondered what it would be like to have to dig it up for a repair in a hurry.
To be fair, there are many factors at work here.The headline posed the question of the link between the leak and the lack of a yard sign for Susan Hoffmann.The writer diminished her conclusion by stating that she would vote for Susan (although, as a supporter, I am glad for her vote).It was a logical question that many asked as to why she would support Susan after this experience. I did find it valuable that she shared other details that she went through, as any one of us property owners could one day be in a similar situation. I understand that the blog wishes to publish all submissions received, but in the future you might want to ask the writer for clarity or ensure that submissions have a logical conclusion.I also wish that you would not permit the snide comments that keep appearing from Saul; they do seem to bump so close against the rule for civility.I recognize that this is a volunteer effort already for you and Cindy, and I thank you for your time and resources.
Kathy,Your sewer bill is actually based on your water bill. There is nothing that measures how much sewage is discharged. This is why those that use the lots of water for the grass or something that doesn’t go into the sewer should think about paying to have a sub meter installed so they are only charged for the water usage outside. I had this done a couple years ago and it has already paid for itself.