17999_Authority_December

!! !"#$%&'"()*'+ !!"!!#$%$&'$(!)*)+ h oW to P rIorItIze s aFety d urIng W ater s hut -o FF P rocedures LJ DĞŐŚĂŶ 'ƌĂŚĂŵ͕ D^͕ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ŽĨ WƌŽŐƌĂŵƐ͕ DƵŶŝĐŝƉĂů ZŝƐŬ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ tŽƌŬĞƌƐ͛ ŽŵƉĞŶƐĂƟŽŶ WŽŽůĞĚ dƌƵƐƚ zŽƵ ŵĂLJ ŚĂǀĞ ƌĞĐĞŶƚůLJ ĨŽƵŶĚ LJŽƵƌ ĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ ŝŶ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŽĨ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƌĞƐƵŵĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƚƵƌŶͲŽī ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞƌĞ ƉŽƐƐŝďůLJ ƐƵƐƉĞŶĚĞĚ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ Pandemic, just like thousands of public ĞŶƟƟĞƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ WĞŶŶƐLJůǀĂŶŝĂ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĞŶƟƌĞ ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͘ dŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ ŚĂƐ ĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ ĞdžƉŽŶĞŶƟĂůůLJ ƐŝŶĐĞ ϮϬϮϬ͕ ǁŝƚŚ Ăůů ŽĨ ƵƐ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ ƚŽ ĂĚũƵƐƚ ƚŽ ͞ƚŚĞ ŶĞǁ ŶŽƌŵĂů͕͟ ǁŚĞƌĞĂƐ ĞǀĞŶ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĨƵůů ůŽĐŬͲĚŽǁŶ͕ ƵƟůŝƚLJ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ ŚĂĚ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶŝŶŐ ĞƐƐĞŶƟĂů ĨƵŶĐƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ƐƚĂLJ ƵƉ ĂŶĚ ƌƵŶŶŝŶŐ͘ ǀĞŶƚƵĂůůLJ ĐĂŵĞ ƚŚĞ ƟŵĞ ǁŚĞŶ management had to evaluate returning ƚŽ ĨƵůů ƉƌĞͲƉĂŶĚĞŵŝĐ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ʹ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƐŚƵƚͲŽī ƉƌŽĐĞĚƵƌĞƐ͘ tĂƚĞƌ ƐŚƵƚͲŽīƐ ŽīĞƌ Ă ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂů ďĞŶĞĮƚ ƚŽ ĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƟĞƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞLJ ƉƌŽŵƉƚ residents to pay their bill, thus ŐĞŶĞƌĂƟŶŐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ĨŽƌ ƉĂLJŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ͘ dŚĞLJ ĂůƐŽ ĐŽŵĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ƌŝƐŬƐ Ͳ ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌůLJ ƚŽ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞƐ ĐŽŶĚƵĐƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƚƵƌŶ Žī ƉƌŽĐĞĚƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĮĞůĚ͘ ^ŝŶĐĞ ƌĞƐƵŵŝŶŐ ƐƵĐŚ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͕ ƐŽŵĞ ƵƟůŝƚLJ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ have been receiving feedback from employees that they feel uneasy ĂďŽƵƚ ŐŽŝŶŐ ƚŽ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ ŝŶ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ͕ ĨŽƌ ĨĞĂƌ ŽĨ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ ǁŚŽ ďĞĐŽŵĞ disgruntled or even violent if they are ŚŽŵĞ ǁŚĞŶ ƚŚĞ ƚƵƌŶ Žī ŽĐĐƵƌƐ͘ Whether tensions are higher since the ƉĂŶĚĞŵŝĐ͕ Žƌ ǁŚĂƚĞǀĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĂƐŽŶ ŵĂLJ ďĞ͕ ĐŽŶĨƌŽŶƚĂƟŽŶĂů ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶƐ and assaults do appear to be on the ƌŝƐĞ ƐŝŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ƉĂŶĚĞŵŝĐ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐĂŶ lead to an employee being injured, ĂŶĚ ƵůƟŵĂƚĞůLJ ƌĞƐƵůƟŶŐ ŝŶ Ă ǁŽƌŬĞƌ͛Ɛ ĐŽŵƉĞŶƐĂƟŽŶ ĐůĂŝŵ͘ &ŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ĂƌĞ ĂĐƚƵĂů ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ƚĞƐƟŵŽŶŝĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĞŶƟƚLJ ƌŝƐŬ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůƐ ĚĞƚĂŝůŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐƵŐŐĞƐƟŽŶƐ ƐƵƌƌŽƵŶĚŝŶŐ ƐŚƵƚͲŽī ƉƌŽĐĞĚƵƌĞƐ͗ 1. ZŝƐŬ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ ; ŝƚLJ ŝŶ hƚĂŚͿ ʹ ͞ ƚ ŵLJ ůĂƐƚ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ͕ Ă ǁĂƚĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƐĞǁĞƌ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ ĚŝƐƚƌŝĐƚ͕ ǁĞ actually stopped this process ĂŌĞƌ ĂŶ ĞŶĨŽƌĐĞŵĞŶƚ ŽĸĐĞƌ ǁĂƐ assaulted. Being an improvement ĚŝƐƚƌŝĐƚ͕ ǁĞ ƉƵƚ ŝƚ ŽŶ ŽƵƌ ďŽĂƌĚ ĂŐĞŶĚĂ ĂŶĚ ĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ ŽƵƌ ďLJůĂǁƐ to move this issue to a lien on ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞŶ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ ƚĂdž that is paid yearly. We actually had a lot of residents vote for ƚŚŝƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů͘͟ 2. ZŝƐŬ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ ; ŝƚLJ ŝŶ KŬůĂŚŽŵĂͿ ʹ ͞ Ɛ ǁŝƚŚ ŵŽƐƚ ŵƵŶŝĐŝƉĂůŝƟĞƐ͕ ǁĞ ĂůƐŽ ƐƵƐƉĞŶĚĞĚ ƚƵƌŶ ŽīƐ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ Ks/ ͘ tŚĞŶ ǁĞ ďĞŐĂŶ ƚƵƌŶ ŽīƐ ƚŚĞƌĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƐŽŵĞ ĚŝƐŐƌƵŶƚůĞĚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ĚŝĚ ŽƵƌ ďĞƐƚ ƚŽ ǁŽƌŬ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŵ through payment arrangements Ăƚ ĐŝƚLJ ŚĂůů͘ /Ĩ ǁĞ ŬŶĞǁ ƚŚĂƚ Ă resident may be aggressive, or ƚŚĞLJ ďĞĐĂŵĞ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĂLJ͕ ǁĞ ŚĂĚ ƚŚĞ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞ ƉƵůů Žī ƚŚĞ ũŽď ĂŶĚ reschedule it to have another ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞ ĂƐƐŝƐƚ͘ ^ŽŵĞƟŵĞƐ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ƵƟůŝƚLJ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞ͕ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƟŵĞƐ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ Ă ĐŽĚĞ ĞŶĨŽƌĐĞŵĞŶƚ ŽĸĐĞƌ͘ tĞ ĂůƐŽ ƵƟůŝnjĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉŽůŝĐĞ ĚĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ŝĨ ŶĞĞĚĞĚ͕ ĂƐ ƚŚĞLJ ǁĞƌĞ ŽƵƚ ŽŶ ƉĂƚƌŽů ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ͖ ǁĞ ǁŽƵůĚ ƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŚŝĞĨ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ĂŶ ŽĸĐĞƌ ŐŽ ďLJ Ăƚ ĂŶ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚĞĚ ƟŵĞ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ƚƵƌŶ Žī ǁĂƐ taking place. ͞DŽƐƚ ƚƵƌŶ ŽīƐ ǁĞƌĞ ŶŽƚ ĂŶ ŝƐƐƵĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŵĂũŽƌŝƚLJ ǁĞƌĞ ĚŽŶĞ ƐŝŶŐƵůĂƌ Žƌ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ƵƟůŝƚLJ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞ͘ ZĂƌĞůLJ ǁĂƐ the resident aggressive enough ƚŽ ǁĂƌƌĂŶƚ ĂŶ ŽĸĐĞƌ͕ ďƵƚ ǁŚĞŶ ŝƚ ĚŝĚ͕ ǁĞ ŚĂĚ ŶŽ ƚƌŽƵďůĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ĐŝƚLJ ĞŶƟƚLJ ĂƐƐŝƐƟŶŐ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ŶĞĞĚ ĨŽƌ ĐŽŵƉĞŶƐĂƟŽŶ͘ ͞dƵƌŶ ŽīƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶůLJ ŽƉƟŽŶ Ă municipality has, to encourage a resident to either pay in full or make payment arrangements on their bill, and sadly that must ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ͘ ŶŽƚŚĞƌ ŽƉƟŽŶ ǁŽƵůĚ be depending on the number of ƚƵƌŶ ŽīƐ͕ ĚŽ Ă ĨĞǁ ƉĞƌ ĚĂLJ ŽǀĞƌ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵƌƐĞ ŽĨ ŽŶĞ ǁĞĞŬ͘ dŚŝƐ ǁĂLJ ĂŶ ŽĸĐĞƌ ĐĂŶ ĚĞĚŝĐĂƚĞ ůĞƐƐ ƟŵĞ ĞĂĐŚ ĚĂLJ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĨŽƌ assistance and you can schedule ŝƚ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƚLJƉŝĐĂů ƐůŽǁ ƟŵĞƐ͘͟ 3. ZŝƐŬ DĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚ ; ŝƚLJ in Maryland) ʹ ͞DLJ ƐŽŶ ǁŽƌŬƐ for a company that manufactures ǁĂƚĞƌ ŵĞƚĞƌ ƐĞŶƐŽƌƐ ƚŽ ŵŽŶŝƚŽƌ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƵƐĂŐĞ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ŵĞƚĞƌƐ can be read remotely. I asked him ŝĨ ŝƚ ŝƐ ĂůƐŽ ƉŽƐƐŝďůĞ ƚŽ ƐŚƵƚ Žī ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƌĞŵŽƚĞůLJ ĂŶĚ ŚĞ ƐĂŝĚ ƚŚĂƚ it is if your municipality is using similar technology. If your meters can be read remotely, then it might ďĞ ǁŽƌƚŚ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ Ă ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ the company that provides your