Gaines officials are correcting water billing problem while lowering taxes, upgrading town hall

Posted 16 October 2017 at 9:14 am

Editor:

I am writing in response to Mr. Grube’s criticism again regarding a water billing error.

Yes, there was a billing error.  When it was noted by the billing clerk to the Water Superintendent the bills seemed high, Mr. Mannella said, “send them anyway.” I discussed the numbers with Ron and he suggested a possible meter calibration issue with the 5 corners meter pit and would contact the Village of Albion.

In the end, they were sent and were wrong. Working with the IT people with the billing system, the meter reading system and our IT person, it was discovered in some cases the readings were pulled from the March quarter making some of the bills higher than they should be. Why?? It’s a software issue. Have we not all had that experience?

But the water still flows and there wasn’t any interruption in services. The new bills were sent out and the experts continue to figure out what happened.

The “leadership” Mr. Grube constantly criticizes consists of not just me as the supervisor but the board, the highway superintendent, the town clerk and the town justice. We are the elected officials and the “leadership” team.  I am the treasurer of the town and a board member as defined by the state comptroller’s office, not the “boss”.

Let’s talk about what this “leadership team” has done and continues to do working for the people of Gaines. Taxes going down 10 cents this budget through this team’s efforts to live within our means. In 2012 the tax rate was $4.19 town wide, this budget the rate will be $3.27. We don’t have any debt except our water districts and we are doing great financially.

Our water districts which were in the red when some of us took office are now in the black and profitable. We made our town hall more secure for our staff to maintain a safe working environment. We are now ADA compliant so all our citizens no matter what their condition have accessibility to our town hall and the services they need.

The updating and upgrading of our town hall will begin shortly, new windows, new siding, doors and insulation. That will save energy costs and all for approximately $11,000. The whole projects cost is $101,000 but with grant money we benefit.

I would suggest that the critics of our town and our “leadership team” are either misinformed and/or uninformed. The Town of Gaines is an example of hard work, looking out for all of its citizens and doing a great job.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol Culhane

Gaines Town Supervisor