Mayor and Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

This meeting of the mayor and board following for the city of Clinton now in session. Do you have any business before this morning?

Let us pray. I did have them follow. We come this hour in the evening to give thanks for all the blessings we are receiving. We thank you for the privilege and we thank you for the opportunity for allowing us to come together to discuss the business of the city. We pray that everything we do and say will be in your will. In Jesus Christ's name, we pray. Amen. Amen.

Okay. Mr. Micah Green, come up to the podium, please. State your name and address for the record, please.

Yes, ma'am. What are you asking of the Lord?

Okay.

So, for the past year, I was trying to get some water. So, last year, we found out that the building, the name was just on the floor. So, then the person's building, they did go buy another building. When it came down to that, I guess they found out how much it would cost for them to keep their lines so that everything came to a stop. But I was told that I had to go to our judge to get in on the new doctor. I've spoken to Mr. Bridget, and then I've also called down to Jackson, the public service commission. They were supposed to take people down here. I haven't heard from them. They were supposed to be what? They were supposed to be Mr. George Butler from Jackson.

And we get a department head to speak on this. Everybody heard Mr. George Butler from here.

We need to talk to Bill. Well, I mean, y'all close that door.

Oh, they're all going out. Okay. I haven't talked to George Butler. George Butler? Anybody?

Billy, have you talked to George Butler?

Have you spoken with George Butler?

Wade on? He's on, but that would have been before. I think it was when Thomas, I think it was Thomas.

So then when I went down to talk to the U.S. Attorney, they don't want to sit with the public service commissioners. Well, when I spoke to him earlier this year, that's what he said. He said, are they supposed to reach out to you so you can get an agreement, you know, for that meeting?

He didn't think it was working, right?

He said, and I asked for a letter to even present to the lawyers. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be, you know, being a lawyer before, but I should ask for it. Nobody at the board department is writing to me.

Yeah, I can too.

Well, I did.

I put a memo in Dropbox this afternoon. And so they ran the line across the property to the one tap. The existing meter.

So what happened was they split the building in two separate Did he pay for a meter and a cap? He did. Okay. Yeah, and it's in the memo that I put in the office. I'm just getting it. Now it's on her property. Right. So legally, they're going to have to get a lawyer. determine how they're going to split the use of that feeder. So it kind of got out of my head at the time. This has been two or three years.

There was a thing. That pool sits on that actual meter. He only had a one-inch pipe that was connected to that shower head over there. It didn't have nothing that's open. But he got that building because Paul, I mean, J.B.H. Plummer.

Jason.

Jason. had went to the same board as I did when I first got involved. But Chris didn't have the first. So he agreed, and since, because that's the next step, he had to separate everything from there, because all the meters got in the same spot. So when Chris took over that property, I would let him know that he needed all his own meters. That's how he could have his own electricity, his own gas. Now, I don't know what happened, but it came to that board, and I guess with the agonist, he didn't explain it to me,

Okay, so what happened was, the gentleman that you bought the building from, he did all this.

So he happened to do it.

Is it the building or the property, Greg?

Chris Parks owns the building. She owns the pool.

Spirit explosion. Right beside each other.

Spirit explosion. Spirit explosion.

Not from, not from him. I brought my family. That's it. It was like, he brought you that. It was both split all day. So, I don't know why you said that. Yeah, when I started. He didn't have this one.

Back before that, it was.

But prior to, it was one property. Previous, it was one property. The building and the pool were one property. So the meter, I think his point, which is what I put in my memo, the meter serviced one property. The building and the pool were on one property, and it serviced both the building and the pool. And so it... Well...

He's only using one meter. He has one meter.

Well, there's only one meter connection here at the city.

So where's the second meter? So then if we got another meter there, what's the problem? Nobody wants to take them off the original.

He's already paid for that connection. He paid for the second one. He paid for the one he's connected to.

I know, but she's saying there's another meeting there.

Yeah, I think it's there. Right, it's not right.

It's not right. He didn't pay for that. The meter they tapped in is on her phone. Because he understood that when he came up here, he didn't really explain it right to me. That's what I'm talking about. That's what I'm talking about. So that's why he said, okay, well, he's going to now go pay for me another meter, the size that belongs to that building. Now, for that pool, it runs straight from the back, from their unit. There's no deviation out for the time. So that size meter. So that's why he went on ahead and brought me another. The problem came in that when he found out, I guess that he had to move it to the pipeline. They didn't want to pay for it.

So this is, this is the reason I told you from the conversations we had that this is a civil matter because he paid for a meter connection. He paid for a tap. He paid for a meter connection and he paid, he did a water application and he has service with the city, water service with the city. And that's what we have honored. Um, and. That's why I had explained to you that it was a civil matter because we couldn't disconnect that connection because he's paid for it. But he paid for a meter, but he hasn't, he hasn't paid to connect. He hasn't connected to that meter. Right.

You know, because for one, when I first called to the building a few years ago, Rose told me not to hook it up until that building was separated. So she said to me that they charged for every drop. So she said, until that building was separated, they popped us on the street and Jason had just bought it. So she said to wait until they separate those rounds because the pool already proposed about $7,000 a month. So that's what I was waiting on. I'd never seen.

And I think that's what the issue is. He connected first.

And that's, he connected to the existing meter.

Because it had always been that way.

Right. Right.

What he's saying, it was originally one. It was originally one. She applied for TAP? Yes, it's in

No, she has not applied for a meter for a tap. She's applied for water, but she has not submitted to Billy's office for a meter tap. I think, I think, no, ma'am, I did explain to you that your two options were for a meter tap or to, I think Mr. Charter has explained that to you as well.

Mm-hmm.

I think.

I think. I think what happened was the price of him re-piping everything on the sprinkler system to the meter, to the six-inch meter. So Tameka was advised that, you know, he wasn't going to do it. So it's two meters there, but I think Tameka was told by someone in the city hall that she was required to have a six-inch meter. And I told her, I don't know why.

And I didn't, I don't know who told her that.

I think she wants a six-inch meter. And so that's what the problem is.

But I don't think she needs a six-inch meter.

You go to it, it'll be a lot cheaper for you.

Mm-hmm.

I have a question. I have a question. I couldn't touch all those pipelines in that last meeting for that food because of the history of it. So then I would have to be, you know, from the back, from the center, all the way up. You had to bus all the way to those countries, you know.

That's the reason she didn't do it. No, nobody, I never talked to anybody. Okay.

Question. Did the other guy pay for the tap and the line? When you're saying the other guy that owns the other part of the building.

Yeah, when I first went to work, honestly, this is what they don't make sure that they thought.

Okay, but had been paid for.

That's why he connected that way.

So he's paid for the tap.

The meter connection.

The meter connection and the line. Is that what you're saying? Not paid for that.

Not the line. He didn't run a lot. He paid what he's required to have a water service.

You have a leader. You're saying that that's your leader. He has a leader. You all can't just split the cost or you reimburse him for whatever he has paid and you get what you need and he You all just go ahead on and say goodbye, y'all.

I mean, you can't do that because of the way it's set up and the way, really, that sprinkler head shouldn't even be on that hill. That's the whole reason why they put him on the sprinkler head. That's not even supposed to be on that hill. It's supposed to be on the same line. So, really, he only got the sprinkler.

You're talking about building sprinklers? That's what we're referring to. Not yard sprinklers.

No, it's in Tennessee.

There should be two. There's only one, but there needs to be two.

There needs to be two.

I haven't run the lines to the second meter.

The city assigned us that data also on the data that the city installed is also on your side. Therefore, apparently, it doesn't matter which side that we do it. Because when they came out and put that sack in here, then that's what made their mind change. Like, oh, we don't have to do this. Apparently, that's not yours because it's sitting right beside us. Then he said, I did everything directly that was asked.

Who is he?

Chris Ponce.

Chris Ponce.

He said, however, we spent tons of money which has nothing to do with you. We can't spend any more money if it's at someone else's payroll. Basically, after he had purchased that staff, that's when he got the quote that it was going to cost to actually correct and remove the fines, which I would don't mind by actually correcting and removing the fines myself if I had my meeting, you know. So,

So what does she need to do?

Is this strictly a civil matter, Danny?

Well, my problem is when I looked at it, and I've been here quite, because I was hoping I would think something different, but when I looked at it, couldn't come up with much the city could do it's it's it's the equities of the thing they've got two people who previously they never they didn't own the properties at the same time but previously you had a shared meter because it was one property this guy gets out there first and gets the meter that she needs and now she's got the cost and in fairness That's right. That's one of those things that two people should probably come and meet in the middle or a court should do. When we got to the point of that point with you, I can't do, the city can't do that with you. That was what I had explained. Is there anything that you can do that you don't have on your list?

Because I couldn't come up with that. I haven't. That water meter versus electricity. They didn't have electricity. We shared the electricity. But he really got whole new electricity. because he knew that the meter sets on the free side. He had to go get his own gas because he knew what set, all the lines were connected on the free side.

And Ms. Gray, I think you're right as far as you're entitled to him sharing you with the cost, but that's not something I can figure out a way to see it even like that.

Well, it's not sharing a cost. The whole point was, all that acts for what? Nobody's told me to ever hire you. Because everyone was trying to get them to buy a meter to see it, but it stopped when he didn't want to move his paper.

Can I find out something? Mr. Prada. Yes. If you, both of them were going to have to buy a meter no matter what.

I think Chris bought a 340 to separate the lines after everything started to come. And so I saw with Chris that 340 to me was a board technique. Well, when they got down to connect it somewhere or another, they discovered that the sprinkler system was connected to that.

Already connected.

So if they disconnected it, it would drop the sprinkler system down and take the sprinkler system off or whatever. So he didn't want to need to toss it or whatever. He was contracted for charging for it. So he said they got to find another resolution. And that was the last time I talked to him about it.

He's just doing it to get out so he don't have to pay for it for his sprinkler system. So he went and tapped into those meters.

The three-quarter-inch meter, Marcia, the three-quarter-inch meter has not been installed and connected to the line. I don't know if they installed it. I don't know. It hasn't had a run to it. But it hasn't had a... They haven't run the lines to it.

Okay, let me ask a question.

But it also would not service his property. Because of the sprinkler system. I want you to contact this guy.

George Butler. We can table this and we can talk to the Public Service Commission and see what they say.

And then we will contact you back.

Excuse me, Robert, go ahead. We may have an answer we don't have. Okay, so my other question is, if I actually purchase them, where's the money? Where's what? If you buy a meter, you put it on your own property.

But I'm saying,

So two that's sitting out there, besides what you did, it's still going to be that I'm going to have to leave out all my comments and feedback, which is not fair for me, but the original one.

Well, that's why we're going to talk to you about the third commission. That's why we're going to get to Andy's talk.

What's his name again?

I got it.

George Buffer. George Buffer. That's who I'm going to say. Okay. So we're going to get back in touch with the ones we hear from.

Yes, I will contact you.

I've got her contact information.

Okay. Once Danny gets over to the Public Service Commission, see if they can tell us which way to go with this. We're really confused. Thank you, ma'am. It's quite confusing. Thank you. That might help. Do we need a motion? We really just. No. They operate. Okay. Ms. Kohler.

Let me speak.

Yes, ma'am. Just on your address for the record.

400 South Folliger.

Thank you.

But it's regarding a property of revenue 6.0.

Is this under, you've got a notice on it? Yes. Are we getting ready to cover those?

Well, she's not here about the property. She's here about the process.

There was... We paid for a survey when we bought this property, and the property was not a rental property. It was a rental property. We did not buy it as a rental property. We bought it as a home for a homeless girl and our soon-to-be-born grandson. Ron is my husband, who is so yard proud that anybody, I think, Gary knows it, or Keval knows it, He loves his yard, gets down on his hands and knees, and he pulls the weeds back. He has taken really good care of that property. He cleaned it out. And so I realize all of this is past history. But when we got a notice that said the yard was unkempt, I was shocked. But I didn't know that Ron, for those of you who know him, he's not doing well at all. He was ill. He fell in the ice in January, and as of right now, he's being switched to swing dead because he can't walk. Sorry. So he has been taking care of that dog. When I drove by, it did not look bad at all. there was a limb that had come down and I noticed that it said on there that we had all these, this long grass and all this wood that was at the back of the property. And there were a lot of limbs and things that he had cleaned out and piled up because it was a swamp back there. It literally was a swamp. And he spent all summer last year working on that. But When I went, again, I'm like, this doesn't make sense to me. Why are we getting this? And on top of that, there's a bright orange notice on the door. We had just gotten the letter, and I go to check the property, and there's an orange notice on it. I did not tell Ron, because at this point, it just started to have problems with not being able to walk. So I didn't say anything. I went and got the plot line and went down and talked to Mr. Well, actually, I talked to Danita first.

And

You know, people get talking around it. My point of this is they made assumptions rather than checking the property. The property that they actually had an issue with was the backyard of the neighbor next door. And if the limbs and things were the property that was all the way back on the other side of the alley, which the alley back behind those Lamar houses was split. When the alley was closed, it split and half went to houses on Maple and the other half went to houses on Lamar. And so, I don't know whether it was during the storm in January or not, but I know that Mary Klein's house had a fence come down and they had taken off the wood and it's all piled up back there. Lots of limbs back there. You can see that in the street. So they dinged us for probably one hour. Then they said to me, like, well, are you telling me that you have no long grass in your yard? And I was like, it's not unsightly because my husband has mowed it recently, like two weeks ago. It's not like it sat there for weeks and got overgrown. In addition to that, it had been mowed. He's been mowing actually a little farther into the neighborhood yard because our line goes from a tree to a tree. Different trees were planted on our lot line. And he's been mowing a little bit over to the side of those trees. And you can clearly see the end of our lot. because here's the tall grass and here's the mower line. And so instead of checking, they say, oh, this is 1106 Lamar. Let's put a big bright orange notice on the door so the neighborhood can know that this man is not doing his job.

And I have- I told her you think that really upset anybody that you had an orange sticker on your door.

I think it humiliated my husband.

I apologize for that.

Yeah, I think it humiliated me.

Yes, ma'am.

And I think that other people look at that and go, ooh, I wonder what that's about. I wonder if they've been evicted. I mean, when you say a bright orange something on somebody's door, your automatic assumption is they've done something wrong. And we did nothing wrong. So all I'm asking is I think that the procedure where they go and they, I mean, send this first, then put this on board. Or have them check the lot line. have them look and see that, well, they're mowing up to here. Maybe this is the other house. Because what would they do if there was a house here and a house here and an empty lot in between? They're going to look that up. They're not going to assume it's this house or that house.

Billy, would you like to make any comments here? Yes, sir.

I think Ms. Pollard met me once or twice about the process. And I don't think she was satisfied. So I called back. And I told you this call until I was on the site. I called her back and she admitted that some of the property wasn't there. A lot of it was there. And the husband was sick and she had to rest for two weeks. And I told her to take care of my board. And she was satisfied with it. But I think she didn't like the process. on how we do things, but Danny can attest to the process we do it. We've been sued, and we've won our lawsuits because of the process that we do. So I can't change the process up to appeasing them on what the State Department is doing.

That may speak in the truth, but no, if the city does make a mistake, it does have to go through research and make sure, and if there was any portion of this that we do know there, it could.

The information is available to them, or quickly just available to us. And like I said, it was an assumption though. I think Michelle said to us, well, I don't know if mistakes can be made. Yes, mistakes can be made, but that was an assumption.

I think I said if a mistake was made. I did say that.

Treat these names out and give the notices when you do the posting. You're honoring due process rights. Due process is not the right to be treated perfectly. It's the right to have a say so that you can speak

important either. I got this the same day that I go and find out this is on the bill.

We do both. We do both because people will say I didn't get the mail. And it happens to us and it's better to be redundant and that's your protection. But I hate the impact and how that's affected you at a difficult time too.

I would like to say too that the conversation wasn't exactly as it is. I was told that Well, what we'll do is we're going to go around and we'll check before the meeting and any property that has been prepared or fixed or whatever will be taken off the list. Well, I said, well, I'm not planning on doing the yard and things that are not mine. So my property is going to stay on the list until these people, because they didn't get the notice. And they kept saying, oh, but we'll go around. And I'm going, but I'm not going to fix that.

The one thing I know that we could do, and we'd be happy to talk to Mr. Potter about this, if there was, you know, with people with our expenses, and we've got to go mow grass and whatever, people with our expenses, people all require us to do, and that goes on somebody's taxes. If you don't want to put taxes on your property for something that is not yours, it may be possible to differentiate between the work that was done and make sure that you're not. No work, okay.

She can remove the property. Oh. Her property was, did have overgrown grass and leaves by the cancer care service. She agreed with them.

But you removed it before we did the indicate?

She received a violation letter and she got her grass and removed it. What? It's been removed off the list. May I say something?

We do a podcast.

Oftentimes that happens. We do

We try to do our best. I understand. And to make sure that our property owners are on the lawn and things like that. We know that we've had a lot of rain. And we know oftentimes the people, the grass does grow. I do understand them doing work. Seeing that will make you feel some kind of way, especially when you're trying to do the best that you can. We get it. And only... For me, I'm going to apologize for the pain that you're feeling. I understand that. So I apologize to you and your husband for that because no one wants to hear anything green, yellow, or orange. So what is the procedure to ask for us to be notified that it's off the list? We can show up here. Well, you can.

It wouldn't have been called out tonight. You wouldn't have been called out tonight. I know. I know. But I agree with what Zane is saying. The process isn't perfect, Catherine. Our whole goal is simply to keep Cleveland looking nice. That's why we have a community that looks a lot better than the other communities in Philadelphia. Sometimes we make mistakes. And we're doing our best tonight to correct it. You've already gotten at least two or three apologies, and I will apologize also. Yeah. And, but your name was off of this list.

Right. Yeah. See, by the time it gets to me to read out tonight, and I'll do that in a little bit, it's color coded.

And I'll take it off. But again, I'm like, well, how do I?