Payment of prior debts now required for new Roanoke utilities accounts

At Monday’s meeting of Roanoke Utility Board, there two issues facing the board. The first was the case of a missing water meter on Government Street.

Dewaren Boyd addressed the board concerning a water meter that was missing from his mother’s property. Mr. Boyd said there was a meter there in 2000, and now the water line is there but there is no meter. He said his mother was going to build on the property and needed a meter. He said he dug down in the ground and found the box but no meter. The meter once served two houses on the property.

Board vice-chairman Walter Suddeth said that someone needs to find the meter.

“It may have disappeared when the new waterline was installed several years ago,” Suddeth said. “We are looking at something that was done over 25 years ago.”

After a discussion with Mr. Boyd, it was agreed that a new meter be installed on the property.

Bad debt

A subject that has come many times before is the debt owed to the board after residents moved and didn’t pay their bills for gas and water. Manager Pam Bonner said as of the January billing date there was $286,512.71 owed to the board.

“We have sent letters but some come back and most are unanswered,” she said.

The board agreed to a new policy for renters, businesses and home buyers. Along with the normal deposit, the prior debt must be paid. That goes for all utilities on the property.

In other business, Bonner told the board the maintenance work on the College Street Water tank had been completed. The tank at Candlewick will possibly be next for maintenance.