Getting a screwing from Borough -- Surprise Sewer Tax

[DeerSlayer 241]

I've sold a lot of Portland to a company down the road from me that caps wells.

I used to work for a company that did well work during my apprenticeship. We sealed a few with something called granular bentonite. It's like a clay material that expands inside the bore and casing with water introduced. Pretty cool stuff. It's like powdered great stuff expanding foam.

[Heavyopp 167]

Some municipalities allow a separate irritation meter. Some don't.

 

Middlesex did make provisions for this in the ordinance but they say a meter on sewage/ waste water -- not incoming water 

 

They also say that if you do this you must pay them $100 yearly for an annual inspection 

[Heavyopp 167]

http://www.middlesexboro-nj.gov/vertical/sites/%7B03D024DB-3011-40C3-9B1E-A8D6804DB773%7D/uploads/4-19-16_Special_Meeting_Minutes.pdf

 

 

 

 

A link to the meeting minutes if you care to read...

[DeerSlayer 241]

Middlesex did make provisions for this in the ordinance but they say a meter on sewage/ waste water -- not incoming water

 

They also say that if you do this you must pay them $100 yearly for an annual inspection

When I've done meter spreads for this in the past, they make us put stickers all over the pipe heading outside to the back flow prevention device that says, "for irrigation only" every 2' and they came to inspect that we put the decals on. I usually tap all the outside hose bibs off of that line too for the customer. Especially if they have a pool or hot tub. But it's probably worth it, if this is their new rules for your municipality.

[DeerSlayer 241]

Guys -- help me understand this -- This is copied from the meeting minutes where the town council held a special meeting to approve the new sewer ordinance -- nothing else but the sewer ordinance was discussed at the meeting

 

 

​Section one is the new re-written ordinance -- section 2 is below --

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION TWO. The effective date of these changes shall be January 1, 2016 upon adoption of this Amendment to the Ordinance and shall apply to all sewer user charges under Article III, commencing with the calculated usage, flow and/or charges reflected in billings to users dispatched thereafter.

Are they billing you for the quarter before the new ordinance is taking place?

[Heavyopp 167]

Are they billing you for the quarter before the new ordinance is taking place?

 

 

The are billing us for the entire year of 2015 

[DeerSlayer 241]

The are billing us for the entire year of 2015

I didn't read that in the ordinance specifically. I would bring that up.

[DeerSlayer 241]

Love the part where it says they won't even read or consider an appeal, unless you pay them first. Very nice township it sounds like. Smh...

[Heavyopp 167]

SECTION TWO. The effective date of these changes shall be January 1, 2016 upon adoption of this Amendment to the Ordinance and shall apply to all sewer user charges under Article III, commencing with the calculated usage, flow and/or charges reflected in billings to users dispatched thereafter. 

 

 

Calculated usage thereafter ---  They are just plain stealing from us --  not even following their own rules

 

 

The bill is very clear --  

 

Billing period  01/01/15 to 12/31/15

[beachwhistle 28]

My town calculates your usage only during a six month "off season" period, I think it's from October through March. It then bases your yearly sewer tax on that period. It seems a little fairer since those months you're using less water - no sprinklers or pool filling.

[kirk2022 43]

I sat and read the Ammended ordinace A couple times.

These are my thoughts after reading twice,  the meeting was scheduled and proper notice given as to time and place and matter considered.  NO body ( Homeowners ) made any comment for or against or even asking questions of the council members.

 

The Agenda and order of business is in compliance with NJ State law.

 

Cutting through all the legal speak, which is normal on all bills or resolutions we consider, It comes down to this in my reading.

 

They set the first billing for sewer, Based on prior year usage 1-15 thru 12-15.  ​Fair and concise as probably 90% of residents will not have A drastic change in yearly usage.

​​There is the option included to add A sewage discharge meter, But it comes with A $100.00 per year charge for reading of meter 2 times A year. (​Basically A catch all, designed for people not to do it due to fee)

 

They did insert an appeal process, But the stinger is. No appeal will be heard if bill in question is not paid to date. ​Back handed but legal. Completely opposite of appealing property taxes.

 

​​To sum it up.  You have A couple options.

1 Get in touch with people you know in the area, Ask what they are being billed and their thoughts.

2 If you find that the bill you received is on average with others. You can get together and go as A group to request some relieve in paying this initial billing. IE 12 equal payments.

 

The catch here though is if your usage is out of line with others, Your basically on your own. Then its time for changes on your end, Or just be prepared to pay close to that amount each year.

 

  If this was happening here in our town we would be expecting A crowd at our next Commission meeting. With the same questions you have. Just due to the fact that no one cares till they feel they are being dealt A bad deal.

 

The same thing that we see all the time at meetings is what happened at this meeting.

We have maybe 6-8 folks out to our Commission meetings each date. They speak and question the commissioners and actually have good input, Which is considered in decisions. But the chambers are filled when A resolution like this has become law.

When its actually to late to change it.

 

Hope this helps with your thoughts and concerns.

[Heavyopp 167]

OK Kirk -- Thanks for your thoughts  --  I understand that no one goes to the meetings --  I'm guilty for sure

 

So after reading that,  you don't think that section 2 in the meeting minutes linked has any relevance:

 

SECTION TWO. The effective date of these changes shall be January 1, 2016 upon adoption of this Amendment to the Ordinance and shall apply to all sewer user charges under Article III, commencing with the calculated usage, flow and/or charges reflected in billings to users dispatched thereafter. 

 

 

 

How about the part of the ordinance where they say bills will be due May 1st and November 1st -- Its spelled out when they are due -- then they send a bill on Dec 6th 2016 due in 3 weeks Dec 31 2016 --  any grounds there to pay them by May 1st? 

 

I do truly expect the 2016 sewer bill to come early in 2017 -- maybe the reason for them to "rush " a 2015 billing period -- still not following the ordinance as to when payment is due

 

 

 

My house water usage is high -- I didn't realize it --  From what I understand there where 300 plus residential sewer use bills that went out in a town of 4,200 residences

 

Most of these houses are on slabs with maybe 900 square feet of living space - Small lots 50 X 100 -- I happen to be on the larger side for homes in the town,  definitely have one of the top 10 bigger lots in town -- 1 acre

 

My bill is $563 for the year -- not a ton of money -- I'm just mad at how they went about it 

[Handyman 5,682]

They also say that if you do this you must pay them $100 yearly for an annual inspection

Looks like they will never pass up a chance to cornhole you.

 

Face it, you're frigged. If they don't get their pound of flesh this year, they are just going to pass an ordinance to get two pounds of flesh next year.

 

You either need to vote them out, or vote with you feet. As long as the same people are in these positions, you're bent.

[kirk2022 43]

I reviewed it again,  This is what I would suggest to someone here in town.

 

With this being the 1st billing ( that's retroactive, Unfortunately) You should contact City Hall and ask if they will approve A payment plan for the bill you have in hand.  We do have that option here. It is usually used when someone buys A property and has to assume back City utility bills in the purchase.

 

Then after the Holiday You should make A trip to city hall to speak to someone to get the exact definition of the code.  Or  bring the question right to your council meeting.  This is the option I would give someone in our town, As we govern by and under the Walsh act where each commissioner heads specific departments.  If you have A Elected mayor and City council then most likely you will be referred to the correct dept head in town, As Councilmen don't oversee city depts directly.

 

for me to say your screwed would be the wrong comment. But yes it seems you and 400 or so others are responsible for the first billing by due date. Either in full or by agreement with the Utility Dept in town.

 

Good luck. And use you right as A taxpayer to go to some meetings, Introduce yourself and get to know your elected officials. You may be surprised what they or you can help each other with.

[leahcim 680]

You can't tap into any aquifer in the United States, without having the EPA certification to drill. If you're in NJ you can't even legally break the seal on you own well cap. Only a licensed pump installer or well driller can. You can do your own plumbing work inside the house however. I can't open a well cap as a licensed master plumber. Unless I have a pump installers license. (Most of us thumb our nose at that, and do it anyway. Just don't get caught, the fines from the fed are insane) Safe water drinking act rules.

Does that mean that if my submersible well pump goes, I cannot legally pull it out and replace it myself??

[DeerSlayer 241]

Does that mean that if my submersible well pump goes, I cannot legally pull it out and replace it myself??

That's exactly what it means. Unless you're licensed and passed the EPA exam to install pumps or drill wells you can't open the well head. The reason is because people are stupid, and will drag the pipe across their lawn through dog shit, down the driveway through an oil slick, then drop the line back down the well. You're not just contaminating your well. Everyone in your neighborhood is now exposed to whatever bacteria or contamination you just introduced into the aquafer. Most Well guys have well trucks, that spool the pipe onto an empty spool on their truck then back down, so it never touches the ground. And they then shock the well with chlorine tablets.

[Zeke 5,504]

Pfft. Ignorance can be bliss

[Avalanche 42]

I work with a fellow who lives in Middlesex as well - He got hit with an $1100 sewer bill.    People are going bananas over it, seems this was all very poorly instituted. 

[AlDente67 563]

We've always had to pay serer, but the price is not absurd (like our school tax).  What irks me is getting charged ser fees for water we need to top off the pool.  That doesn't go into the treament plant, it evaporates into the sky.

[Heavyopp 167]

I work with a fellow who lives in Middlesex as well - He got hit with an $1100 sewer bill.    People are going bananas over it, seems this was all very poorly instituted. 

 

 

 

Tell me about it --  Surprise sewer bill over Christmas -- with 3 weeks to pay it

 

The town did issue a letter stating we could pay half on the 31st and half on Feb. 1st 

 

 I truly expect the bill for 2016 before the May 1st payment deadline in the ordinance

 

They think we're made of money -- I can't just keep bleeding cash 

 

Now there are rumors of a property tax re-assesment coming sometime before 2019 -- I'm already at $12,000 per year not including the new sewer tax

[leahcim 680]

That's exactly what it means. Unless you're licensed and passed the EPA exam to install pumps or drill wells you can't open the well head. The reason is because people are stupid, and will drag the pipe across their lawn through dog shit, down the driveway through an oil slick, then drop the line back down the well. You're not just contaminating your well. Everyone in your neighborhood is now exposed to whatever bacteria or contamination you just introduced into the aquafer. Most Well guys have well trucks, that spool the pipe onto an empty spool on their truck then back down, so it never touches the ground. And they then shock the well with chlorine tablets.

Wow, good to know. I usually just do some research and do the work myself unless the required tools cost a lot. A friend replaced his pump, bought parts at HD and said it was pretty straightforward, but that was 20 years ago-before Obama EPA started regulating every mud puddle as a navigable body of water. Guess I'll have to call the pros when my 20 year old pump goes

[ChrisJM981 924]

I was reassessed over the summer. My assessment went up almost 40%. I have a feeling this is going to hurt. In Randolph the sewer bill is a flat rate of $188 quarterly per residence.

[DeerSlayer 241]

Wow, good to know. I usually just do some research and do the work myself unless the required tools cost a lot. A friend replaced his pump, bought parts at HD and said it was pretty straightforward, but that was 20 years ago-before Obama EPA started regulating every mud puddle as a navigable body of water. Guess I'll have to call the pros when my 20 year old pump goes

Those rules have been in place for decades. Long before Obama. If you're going to do your own, you do it on a weekend. And make it quick, out and back in. Shock it when your done. And play stupid if anyone asks you about it afterwards.

[Heavyopp 167]

I was reassessed over the summer. My assessment went up almost 40%. I have a feeling this is going to hurt. In Randolph the sewer bill is a flat rate of $188 quarterly per residence.

 

 

 

I expect my assessment to go up 100% --  I'm assessed at $149,000 -- Last time I was appraised back 4 or 5 years ago I was $285,000 which is what I paid 15 years ago

 

If my assessment goes up even 50% and they try to raise my property taxes 50% I won't be able to afford to live here.

 

 I'm not sure how that all works with reassessment and how they figure out property taxes after that but I hope they make the value to tax charged rate lower but I doubt it

[ChrisJM981 924]

I expect my assessment to go up 100% -- I'm assessed at $149,000 -- Last time I was appraised back 4 or 5 years ago I was $285,000 which is what I paid 15 years ago

 

If my assessment goes up even 50% and they try to raise my property taxes 50% I won't be able to afford to live here.

 

I'm not sure how that all works with reassessment and how they figure out property taxes after that but I hope they make the value to tax charged rate lower but I doubt it

I was incorrect. My assessment went up 77.12%. Assessment rate is currently $3.66 per $100, and the estimated new rate will be $2.488 per $100. I'll be appealing. Two houses down has the same lot size, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and 600 more sq ft, but is assessed at 20% less. I have no major upgrades (bathroom or kitchen) either.