Appeal for water bill reduction deniedLisbon City Council denied action on an appeal by Pat Sorgenfrey for a reduction of her water bill due to a mechanical failure of a toilet.
Sorgenfrey moved from her home in Lisbon to Prairie Hills Assisted Living Center in Tipton. After she had left her home, it was discovered that one of her toilets had been running. She was appealing for the bill to be forgiven, since no one was living in the home at the time.
City administrator Brandon Siggins said the ordinance for mechanical failures of this nature allows for a 25 percent reduction of the bill, but no more than that. Siggins approved the 25 percent, but Sorgenfrey was appealing for greater relief.
Council member Mike Williams said the 25 percent forgiveness was fair and that maintenance of mechanical matters like toilets is the responsibility of the property owner or tenant, not the city.
Council member Sara Nost said that she remembered a similar request within the past year, and would hate to provide more relief to one individual and not the same to another.
“This is a case where we should follow what is spelled out in our ordinance and not set a precedent for the future,” Nost said.
Siggins said staff routinely contacts individuals when they notice higher water bills via the radio meter reads to give them a chance to fix the issue as quickly as possible.
“Between a leaking faucet or running toilet, you’d be amazed how much water those things can run through,” Siggins said.
Canton Studios receives BE Lisbon grant Canton Studios in downtown Lisbon received this year’s Business Enhancement Lisbon grant.
Rebecca Hess applied for the grant to increase the retail opportunities for her business, and was selected after a committee reviewed applicants.
“The grant does require 25 percent of matching funds,” said Joe Jennison, director of Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group, who oversees this grant with Lisbon staff.
Hess noted that these grant opportunities are important to the Lisbon community.
Garbage reminderLisbon city administrator Brandon Siggins reminds citizens to have their garbage to the curb by 6 a.m. on pick-up days.
Siggins said the city’s contract with Johnson County Refuse has the time period of 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. for pick up, and the trucks can pick up garbage at any time in that 11 hour window.
“Don’t get into a routine that the truck always picks ours up at 1 p.m., because the contract states they can pick garbage up at any time between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.,” Siggins said. “The best practice is to have the garbage at the curb by 6 a.m.”
Siggins said Johnson County Refuse did an extra trip Monday to pick up garbage missed during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Lisbon city council briefs
December 7, 2023
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.