The Texarkana, Texas, City Council voted to table action that would require Forest Park Apartments management to pay the $30,000 the city says the complex owes Monday night.
Claire Jaynes, manager of the 104-unit complex on Kennedy Lane, spoke before the council's vote. Jaynes said she disagrees about the accuracy of the meter and the amount the complex is being charged by Texarkana Water Utilities. She previously spoke to the council on Jan. 11 and told the council Monday night she has discovered many inconsistencies while researching TWU's billing practices.
"It is not my intention to peel an onion here, but this should have been handled very, very differently," Jaynes said. "I'm sorry if I have opened up a conduit for others to say their bill is wrong."
City Manager John Whitson made a presentation on Jan. 25 that included item-by-item counterclaims dismissing the figures presented by Jaynes.
Jaynes responded that Whitson's graphics at the Jan. 25 meeting were incorrect because they used information about the River Crossing Property on College Drive, which has more than double the units at Forest Point. She also said she doesn't think Forest Point is the only place receiving improbably high bills. Previously, Jaynes has said she is owed between $175,000 and $200,000 in overpayments, but Monday she said a more accurate number could be around $340,000.
Jaynes said she has heard from business owners as well as residents who are worried about the accuracy of their bills. She said an elderly woman recently called her concerning a $2,900 bill she received.
"There were no leaks but she was responsible for water that just magically disappeared," Jaynes said. "My phone rings all the time. When I go to the hairdresser, everyone talks to me."
Ward 5 Council member Christy Paddock, a former lawyer, recommended the council table their vote until its Feb. 22 meeting.
"I think we should table the vote tonight, and as a council, I think we would like to consult with our attorney in a closed session," Paddock said.
After Monday night's meeting, Jaynes said she didn't understand why Mayor Bob Bruggeman asked her for additional documents Monday because she already has presented so many documents to Whitson. She said she is uncertain about where the matter will go from here.
"They just want the money, but they can't prove that I owe it," Jaynes said. "I am still waiting on the proof that I owe it, and the truth is they have a have a huge problem based on the number of calls I get and the people who call me and want meters on their property to hold them accountable. It's a bit of a problem because they have all these meters that aren't calibrated through the city. I think what really happened is Whitson tried to strong-arm me and I wouldn't bend, and now he is painted in the corner. Now they can't even talk about their vote. They have to go behind closed doors with their attorney. If it is not right, they need to fix it. And frankly, Whitson is only as good as the information given to him. I think there are some people at the water utilities that have a problem."
Whitson said late Monday that he has complete trust in the employees at TWU and the records they have provided the city. He also said the number of units at River Crossing could have changed as data does change and sometimes records are dated. Whitson added he does not think Jaynes understands the law that allows the council to have an executive session.
"To say she doesn't trust TWU and they might be cheating or stealing, I don't think that is the case at all," Whitson said. "We have procedures in place to protect any fraud. As far as the council going into closed session, that is their right by law and to have that attorney-client privilege. They will not go behind closed doors to vote. They will come back and vote in open session."
Also Monday, the council unanimously approved establishing a 90-day moratorium on the processing and approval of applications and permits for the placement of electronic messaging signs. The council's approval followed a public hearing about the item. No one came forth to speak for or against the moratorium.
Whitson said this will stop all applications and all approvals for these signs until the council comes to a consensus on what rules apply, including what corridors these signs will be restricted from.
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