FIGHT WATER WITH WATER

BROCKTONBEAT

BOB FORD AND AYANA CATO

First it was the calls to the newspapers and the interviews from the local TV stations. Then came the Brockton Water Party and now the group Brockton United Voices headed by Ayana Cato and Bob Ford are pushing forward with legal action because of the mounting interests on their bills and still no co-operation from the Water Department. Last night at the City Council meeting they unanimously approved the money for the water audit which is expected to begin in Febuary but the group isn't waiting any longer.

"We have a group of people who are meeting with a lawyer this Wednesday night to discuss potential litigation based on bills that we have kept as a group from residents of the water rally as well as inter-department memos that show a steady rate of failure within their own system" says Ford. Among the information that Mr.Ford has collected were consumption reports and emails sent to him by people and one with connections to the department saying "the solution will expose the ineptitude of those individuals running the show".

Many people in the group were disappointed that within the audit scope it didn't include specific writing that called for a group of citizens with water billing issues to be updated and also be interviewed and involved in the audit process and in many peoples minds the auditors could be biased by the water department opinion of the job they are doing and by still putting blame on the residents. "I don't trust the water department or the audit now because of the time span" said Ayana Cato. The group is still getting calls from people with water billing issues and 2 new people showed up at the meeting last night. Mr.Ford was armed with his black book and when asked what else he has in it he said "Everything that has been said by the department since this all started, every newspaper article, emails, erroneous bills, consumption reports and numbers of people with billing issues".

So having seen the bills and consumption reports, one that sticks out that was shown was for an A read that was for the first quarter of this year and for a single family home with 2 people living in it. The bill was for 210 gallons of water and that was for a 90 day period. So armed with this type of information and his black book, Mr. Ford is going to fight water with water. Anyone interesting in attending the free consultation with the Lawyer Wednesday night and for more information can call Mr.Ford at 508-584-7757 or go to their website at Brocktonunitedvoices.blogspot.com

The meeting that Mr. Thoreson was called before the City Council he said if people have a problem to call you. I asked Mr.Ford would he sit down with him and he said "I would sit down with Mr.Thoreson and ask my son who is a Brockton Firefighter, BrocktonBeat, The Brockton Post and Amy Littlefield from the Enterprise to come with me and please explain once and for all  how I used over 1,000,000 gallons of water". Mr. Fords case has been out there for awhile and for the sake of a man who has had open heart surgery and has probably paid 100 times more in taxes than in what he owes to the water department($12,000) please sit with us and show us how the water department can justify these figures. I think this is a fair and reasonable request and if you cant sit down with this man face to face and talk to him with witnesses at least in good faith take a look at his bill and please explain it to him. The next Water Commission meeting is Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 9a.m. at 39 Montauk Road.


EXAMPLE OF ERRONEOUS BILLS

DOUBLE CLICK TO ENLARGE

The following is just one example of a bill that is an Actual read, this is not an estimated bill. Double click on it and it should go to full size. The first quarter was billed for just 28 cubic feet or roughly 210 gallons of water for 90 days. This is for a single family house with 2 adults living in it. That means the house was billed for using less than 4 gallons of water a day. the average use per person per day is 100 gallons of water. Taking a shower you use about 30 gallons of water. When you flush your toilet you use about 1-3 gallons of water. Washing your hand you use about 1 gallon of water. The second bill is slightly higher at 897 cubic feet or about 6727 gallons of water over 90 days or 75 gallons of water a day. Again same house and 2 adults. Now these are actual reads and if you look at the first bill the water in 28 cubic feet is billed at $22.43 but the water out is only 82 cents. The second bill is slighly higher but still off. Now in good faith Mr. Creedon was called and told about this bill and he said " I cant explain why its so low, did you go to Florida for the winter". If a bill that is an ACTUAL READ CAN BE WRONG AND WE KNOW MORE WATER IS USED WHY CANT MR.FORDS BILL BE WRONG AND LOOKED INTO AND TAKEN CARE OF. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS AND THIS IS WHAT THE GROUP HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO. SO WHEN THEY SAY THEY HAVE A BOX OF THESE TYPES OF BILLS AND THE FIRST PERSON THAT GETS THEM IS THE AUDITOR THAT STEPS THRU THE FRONT DOOR OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT THEN IS THE GROUP GOING TO GET ANSWERS. PEOPLE LOOK AT THIS FIRST BILL, IT IS AN ACTUAL BILL AND IT CAME FROM THE SAME WATER COMPANY THAT IS OVERBILLING PEOPLE BUT IN THE CASE UNDERBILLED AND THE HOMEOWNER WANTED TO DO RIGHT BUT WAS TOLD WAIT FOR THE NEW METERS. IF THIS BILL IS SUPPOSEDLY RIGHT AND WE KNOW IT WRONG THEN I PROPOSE THAT MR.FORDS AND AYANA CATO'S BILL FIT INTO THE SAME CATEGORY AS THIS BILL

WATER DEPARTMENT BILLING ISSUES UPDATE

TONIGHT CITY COUNCIL IS VOTING ON THE WATER AUDIT WHICH IS GOING TO BE HANDLED BY THE FIRM OF ABRAMSON OUT OF FRAMINGHAM. THE COUNCIL IS EXPECTED TO APPROVE $97,000 FOR THE AUDIT.

ALSO BOB FORD HAS MET WITH A LAWYER AND HE IS WILLING TO HEAR THIS CASE OUT. THERE IS A MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15 AROUND 6PM. EVERYONE WITH BILLING ISSUES IS ASKED TO ATTEND. THERE IS NO FEE FOR THIS CONSULTATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND WHERE TO MEET CONTACT MR.FORD AT 508-584-7757.

THIS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16 AT 9AM THE WATER COMMISSION IS MEETING AND EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THAT ALSO AND SHOW SUPPORT THAT WE WANT THIS ISSUE FIXED AND THAT WE WONT STOP UNTIL WE GET A REASONABLE RESOLUTION.

WHEN WE GET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

     Several members have filed complaints with the Attorney Generals office concerning the legality of the Closed meeting that the Water Commission held on August 30, 2010 after the Water Rally. The meeting was closed and an exemption from the closed meeting law was cited as a reason but none of the exemptions were met for a public body to have a closed meeting including the one cited to discuss the reputation or potential firing of an individual in a closed meeting.
    In the tape that was released members of BUV could hear that the board members talked about one particular member who has been proactive in trying to explain to residents with $100,000 bills how this situation blew up and was not a perfect storm of catastrophe but a man made disaster. They used the closed door exemption of reprimanding an employee but the commission members are appointed and are not employees, they are the ones that are the watchdog for the water department and make recommendation's.
     On the tape you can hear them talk about how to handle the bad publicity they are receiving and hear Jody Hickey saying she felt “thrown under the bus,” by Quinn. Patrick Quinn has been the only member who has been trying to help the public and educate the residents and make the government more transparent.  Margaret McGrath can be heard asking Quinn if he has a hidden agenda."Do you want blood" she asked Quinn.
    Being thrown under the bus and wanting blood  is what the 4 members of the Water Commission have done to the residents of Brockton and those are the questions they need to ask the water department and not a member who is trying to help the public.As for having a hidden agenda, all that can be said about that is member Ossie Jordan who was appointed the sole spokes person is heard saying on the tape "I would not want what we just were doing here tonight in the newspaper for any reason". The only people who seem to have a HIDDEN AGENDA are the 4 members of the Water Commission who wanted to silence an outspoken member who wanted to do his job and help the public and now we have an official spoke person who doesn't want what is said being given to the public.
    Also on the tape you can hear member Bruce Malcolm referring to another city department that allegedly gets around the open meeting law. “They do it; it’s done in the city every month. That doesn’t meet the Open Meeting Law, but they do it.”
    The 4 members of the water commission seemed more interested in solving their media relations problems and silencing a member who is proactive than helping residents with their water billing issues to the point were they are willing to break rules. Its all right for them to do that, but if you have a high bill and don't understand and want help and are stressing out to the point of afraid of being thrown under a bus, please don't go to the water commission because they are apparently having meetings about:

1. Jodie's fear of being thrown under buses ( was it a group therapy session)
2. Margaret wants to give blood (you can donate at the blood bank, shortage of type O)
3. Bruce talking about someone doing it ( again I think either group or individual therapy)
4: Ossie not wanting information getting out while being on tape( this was a psychological trick, because if you listen to the tape their is a subliminal message and you will go to the water department and pay your bill, even if its $100,000, also reports of people going to the water department and just leaving blank checks)

You can listen to the tape at:
www.brocktonbeat.com

An article in the Enterprise about the closed meeting is on the web at:
http://www.enterprisenews.com/features/x427652114/Brockton-commission-muddies-water-rues-image

An article in the Brockton Post about the closed door meeting:
http://www.brocktonpost.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

The complaints have been filed and members should hear something this week from the water commission about the recommendation's and possibly having training for them and the public by the AGs office on closed door meetings.

WATER UPDATE

     Its been almost one month since the Water Rally and several advancements have been made but more needs to be done and the ball cannot be dropped on this. An audit was approved by Brockton City Council. The audit will be given to the most qualified firm and not necessarily the lowest bidder. The Mayor has been quoted that the audit will look at everything from " Soup to Nuts" and many residents have been asking if that includes the ENTERPRISE FUND. That is a fund that has gotten a lot of attention to recently and needs to be included in this Audit.
     Call your City Councilors and tell them that this needs to be included in the audit. A closed door meeting was held by the Water Commission the same night as the rally and residents are urged to call City Hall and the Water Commission for a copy of that meeting. As soon as the movement gets those minutes they will be posted. The Inspector Generals Office contacted a resident with billing issues the next day after the rally and all residents with issues are urged to send in copies of their bills and complaints to:

Inspector General Office
room 1311
1 Ashburton Place
Boston, Ma 02108
Attn: Brendan McCabe

     Residents are welcomed to send in their complaints and stories of their issues or successes with the water department us and we will post them.Also you can scan anonymously your bills with the problems to:  brocktonunitedvoices@gmail.com

     Please keep us updated with your situation and as we get more news we will post it. Any information that you might have pertaining to the water problems in Brockton please forward to the same email.

Thank you Brockton United Voices......

BROCKTON WATER RALLY PICTURES

MEDIA COVERAGE OF WATER RALLY

WELCOME TO BROCKTON UNITED VOICES

     Brockton United Voices is a grass roots campaign started because of the Brockton water billing problems that the residents have been dealing with for over a year now. We started this site as a voice for all of us and to inform the residents of meetings and to organize one voice so we all can be heard. Our email address is brocktonunitedvoices@gmail.com

     If you have a water billing issue or know someone who does please contact us with your issue. If you feel that reform is needed for the water department then we welcome you also.

    Please attend the council meeting tonight at 7pm in City Hall. An order for a internal audit of the water department is being proposed and we encourage everyone to attend. Also for those who are having billing issues we are sending our complaints along with copies of our bills to the Inspector Generals office, the address is listed below. In the next couple of days we will have the site complete with links and information on the current situation along with stories and comments from people who are having billing issues. We welcome all your stories and just email us and we will publish what has been going on with your situation.

Inspector General Office
Room 1311
1 Ashburton Place
Boston, Ma 02108
Attn: Brendan McCabe

Thank you