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Century Businessman Wants Money Refunded For Sewer Service He Does Not Have
June 4, 2009
A Century business owner is vowing that he will not pay sewage bills that the town says he owes because he is not using the town’s sewer system.
James Bethea operates Panhandle Tire on North Century Boulevard where he has water service from the Town of Century.
“I don’t have no sewer service up there. I’ve been advised to come to the council and ask for my money back,” Bethea told the town council, saying that he wanted all of the money had paid for sewer service to be refunded.
But a town ordinance says that every water customer in the town is required to pay for sewer service whether they use the service or not, Council President Ann Brooks said.
Bethea told Brooks, “I can’t.”
She replied that he could use the service; he would just need to pull the appropriate permits and hook up to the system.
“Yes, I can; but, I am not,” Bethea replied.
The exchange continued between Bethea and Brooks.
“We will see,” Bethea said. “I will get my sewage money back.”
The council took no action on Bethea’s request.
Comments
11 Responses to “Century Businessman Wants Money Refunded For Sewer Service He Does Not Have”
i say help the man out…. town of century helped out the Mathis trailer park to get hooked up FREE look at the prombles it cost …. more Law out on the street in century…… this tire shop is not causing any prombles………….. the town of century gave the rich folks free service so help this man out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!whats the differnets dont wanna help a poor man BUT give to the RICH thats sad
I’m curious about something: do any of the naysayers here pay for other services that they do not receive? Do you pay for a car wash if your car isn’t washed? Do you pay for garbage service if you don’t have pick-up? Do you pay a water bill if you have a well? I know that I don’t and I won’t.
I’m really not even sure that the town ordinance is legal.
If they require poeple to pay for sewer service just because they have water service, then they should pay to connect these people to the system. Also it is amazing that people read this and just assume that since he doesn’t have city sewage, that he relieves himself on the ground or in an outhouse. Come on have you ever heard of a septic system? Century either needs to refund all of the citizens money, or pay the cost to tie them into the system. This is just legal extortion.
You think it’s bad now? See what happens if the consolidation issue passes. You will have City Codes enforced on top of County Codes, and you will not have a choice but to abide by their rules.
Who said he doesn’t have a toilet? What do you mean where does his waste water go? Where does your waste water go when you put out poison on your lawn for bugs, then it rains?
You can have a septic tank, and need water but not sewer. So why should anyone have to pay for something they don’t have or use. The whole scheme is to get money they are not due.
With ECUA if you are not hooked to the sewer system, because you have a septic tank, you do not have to pay for sewer. But, because sewer is available, if your septic tank goes bad, you are not allowed to have it fixed, it must be destroyed, (drained and filled in by a septic company) and you must then pay the outrageous fees to hook in to the sewer system. It is offered at a much lower cost when the sewer is put into the streets, but if you opt out, and in the future your septic goes bad, that is when you put out some money to hook into the sewer.
This story doesn’t say if he has a septic tank, which I am sure he does.
This is the same as “Leola Robinson “.
Give him back his money.
Or will the town do the same thing and hire an attorney and pay all those fees to find out they can’t bill him for something he doesn’t have? I bet this attorney loves the town council, he makes lots of money off their dumb decisions.
the story does not say he’s using an outhouse out back. you would think that hes got a septic tank. The town has a law. he needs to follow it. if I don’t call the fire department, i still have to pay a fire tax.
Mr. Bethea
There are many supporting you. This kind of monopolistic behavior is illegal in any other context. Keep on fighting. Another suggestion would be to drill your own well and cut the town out of the game altogether.
Terri,
I completely agree. What is it about laws/policy that people don’t understand. When there is a law you have to abide by it. When you pay your electric bill but don’t want to pay the franchise fee, fuel charge, or energy charge does that mean that you don’t have too? NO, you pay all of the bill because that is the way the system is set up. You decide you only want to pay a portion because you believe you don’t owe it and Gulf Power will cut you off.
And yes, what are they doing for a bathroom. Are they saying that when an employee has the call of nature he closed down shop and runs home for a few minutes! Talk about filth.
This is 2009 not 1909, stop trying to beat the system.
I sure thought it was a state law that a public business was required to have a toilet for it’s customers. If he can’t afford the basic things needed to operate a business then he needs to get out of business. If he does not like the town ordinaces then he needs to go to another town.The council needs to enforce it’s ordinaces.That is one reason we are FINALLY getting our town cleaned up is because this council and mayor got tough and refused to buckle down to good ole boy politics.. Hang in there council!
Has anyone thought to ask what he is doing with his waste water? A tire company could have some nasty water and what is he doing with it? The other question to Century would be does the fee include storm water fee?
If it is a septic system, this is a system, that over time towns and cities need to get rid of for they will leak due to no maintenance or just deterioration. Large treatment plants are not perfect either, and hopefully the studies and experimentation with natural water purification systems will allow the demise of septic system and maybe even the larger treatment plants.
Stand your ground Sir. These councils are desperately trying to find every penny and loophole they can think of. Just because they say so does not make it right.
Maybe others in Century can look over their bills as well and start (is it a ) class action suit? Enough squeak gets the oil right?
GOD bless and hang in there! Chin up.