Mt. Vernon Register-News

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April 15, 2011

RLCD, Sesser reach water deal

By TESA CULLI tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — An 11th hour agreement has been reached between the Rend Lake Conservancy District and the city of Sesser and water will continue to flow to the city.

“The Rend Lake Conservancy District has agreed to continue uninterrupted water service to the City of Sesser,” information from RLCD states. “With the assistance of Randall Crocker, Franklin County board chairman, and Robert White, Jefferson County board chairman, the Rend Lake Conservancy District has agreed that it will continue to provide water to Sesser.”

RLCD had given Sesser until today to either pay its back due balances or to place all short payments it was giving the district in an escrow account until litigation between the two parties is resolved.

Both parties are involved in a lawsuit filed in Franklin County which stem from a dispute about water meter readings from 2005 through 2008. Both lawsuits indicate the water meter as Sesser was tested in 2005, 2007 and 2008 by a third party and the meter was replaced after a problem was discovered in June 2008. Sesser claims the district didn’t accurately maintain the meter, causing water overpayments of $127,500. RLCD maintains no problems were found with the meter until 2008, when the meter was replaced.

Since filing the lawsuit, the city of Sesser has been deducting $5,000 from each month water bill received from the district. When the district issued its ultimatum to the city, it stated in addition to the $5,000, the city has refused to pay late fees, interest and penalties assessed. The RLCD Board voted to refuse water to Sesser, but water service would continue if the city placed the past due balances and all future short payments in an escrow account until the litigation is resolved. On Thursday, an agreement was reached between Sesser and RLCD on the issue.

“Mayor Ned Mitchell has agreed that the city will immediately pay $15,000 to RLCD, make full water payments from this time forward, and provide a monthly statement showing that at least $90,000 is being held in a designated fund,” information from RLCD states. “Both RLCD and Sesser acknowledge that they intend to vigorously defend, in Franklin County Circuit Court, their positions regarding past water charges. The Rend Lake Conservancy (District) expresses its gratitude to Randall Crocker and Robert White for their help in making this agreement possible.”

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