Residents press council on water impact fees, overflow and denied connections; council to follow up with water staff

Water-system fees and apparent overflows were a focal point of the Jan. 20 meeting, with councilors and a resident pressing for clarity on impact fees, meter charges and billing practices.

Councilors reviewed several fee figures referenced in the master fee schedule—including a $1,500 residential water impact fee, a separate $2,500 meter connection fee and a $5,000 line item discussed as an impact fund contribution. Council members agreed to meet with Brian (the town's water operator) to determine which fees apply to meter, connection and capacity impacts and asked staff to explain the apparent overlapping numbers.

A resident raised a substantive billing concern: he said overflow from the town storage tanks runs down a hillside to Newton while Clarkston customers receive overage charges, and he questioned whether Clarkston residents are being billed for water that leaves the system. The resident asked the council to inspect the overflow and review SCADA data; one councilor responded, "If somebody actually goes and looks at that overflow ... hey, if it's running, there's no overcharge on it." The council directed staff to request data from Brian and to schedule an in-person inspection of the overflow when possible.

Separately, a resident said he had been denied a connection because his property sits above 5,000 feet and was told the town could not supply adequate pressure; he asked whether that restriction is an ordinance or operational limit. Council members suggested researching the ordinance and agreed the matter could be placed on a future agenda for further investigation.

The council did not adopt changes to water fees at the meeting; it instructed staff to clarify fee categories, review recent overflow events, and report back with recommendations.