Weston Select Board orders water-bill recalculation as 225 complaints stack up

WESTON — May 27, 2021 — Weston Select Board to revisit hundreds of disputed water bills before June 15 deadline. Town Manager Leon told the board the town is investigating about 225 active complaints against roughly 3,600 bills issued, with about 400 accounts having gone eight months or more between reads — long enough to push some customers into higher rate tiers. Finance Director Susan Kelly committed to producing a tier-proration analysis before the board's June 8 meeting. Member Harvey Boshart noted FY21 summer commitments came in at $4.6 million versus $2.6 million in FY20, calling roughly $900,000 of that "above what would be expected" from rate and consumption increases alone. Treasurer Zoe Pierce said she would suspend interest on disputed bills if directed: "I don't want to encourage people not to pay the bills." The board separately voted 3-0 to approve a $15,100 drainage taking at 28 Hallett Hill Road and a 2 percent non-union COLA effective July 1.