The procedure described in this Part
4 shall apply to any bill disputed by a customer regarding its charges for water and sewerage service.
[Amended 8-26-2014]
As used in this Part
4, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARD
A three-member board consisting of a resident of the City
of Lowell who is not an employee of the City, the Executive Director
of the Lowell Regional Water or Wastewater Utility or his designee
and the Commissioner of Public Works or his designee.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Applies to both the Director of the Water Department and
the Director of the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
MUNICIPAL HEARING OFFICER
An individual who, pursuant to MGL c. 40U, § 6,
is authorized to hear municipal appeals and render final decisions.
PARTY and PARTIES
The participant(s) in an investigation by the Water Utility or a hearing before the Board. These terms include the City and any person who has a right under these regulations to appeal a decision of any department of the City regarding nonpayment of charges for water and sewerage service, including any person (or his successor in interest) who has timely appealed any such decision pursuant to Articles
VII and
VIII of this chapter prior to the conveyance or transfer of the property for which said charges have been accrued. Any party may appear on his/her own behalf or with or by legal counsel.
[Amended 8-26-2014]
The party initiating an investigation shall
be notified in writing as to the Executive Director of the Lowell
Regional Water Utility resolution of the disputed matter within 20
days of initial receipt of the complaint. Such notification shall
also include the following statement:
If you still consider your bill to be inaccurate
in any respect or if you have any other complaint pertaining to this
matter, you may request a conference with the undersigned within seven
days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, of receipt
of this notice. This request may be made by calling the undersigned
at (508) 970-4246 during normal business hours.
|
If your dispute is not resolved at the conference,
you have a right to a further appeal, provided that you request such
an appeal on a form provided by, and available from, the City within
seven days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, of the
date of the conference.
|
If you do not choose to request a conference,
you have a right to a further appeal, provided that you request such
appeal on a form provided by, and available from, the City within
seven days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, of receipt
of this notice.
|
To obtain the appeal form, write or call the
Lowell Water and Wastewater Utilities at:
|
Lowell Regional Water Utility
|
First Street Boulevard
|
Lowell, MA 01852
|
Attn: Collection Manager
|
Tel. (508) 970-4246
|
[Amended 12-23-2008; 8-26-2014]
If the customer disputes the Executive Director's written notice of decision, the customer shall notify the City, within seven days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, of receipt of such or within seven days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, following a conference held under the provisions of §
272-91C, that he or she wishes to appeal. The notice of appeal shall be on a form prescribed and supplied by the City. The City shall thereupon assign the matter to the Board, as defined in §
272-90, to conduct a hearing. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Part
4.