Woman inquires about fee for mowing

June 17, 2006 – A Mt. Juliet resident received assurances Thursday from the Water & Waste Water Authority of Wilson County the land behind her house would be maintained in the future.
Lisa Outen of Marvin Layne Road appeared before the six-member board at its quarterly meeting to ask about a $5 mowing charge implemented with the June bill.
"Why was it decided to start charging customers $5 a month to mow your land?" Outen asked.
Outen explained the land is about three- to four-feet wide between the fence at her property line and a line of trees edging the field.
"We have received complaints from several people, like you, about us mowing just a couple times of year," Water Authority Executive Director Eddie Harris said. "They want the land mowed more frequently.
"To do this and keep the communities looking nice, the cost has to come from somewhere. It's the cost of doing business."
Outen said she was told the reason the land between her fence and the line of trees is not mowed more often is the difficulty in getting a bushhog in there to mow.
"The first year I moved there, they asked me if I minded them spraying the area with weed killer," she said. "I told them I didn't mind as long as they didn't spray over into my yard. I still wouldn't mind.
"I just want the grass kept down because I have a small dog I let loose in my backyard, and I don't want any animals out back."
Bob Pickney with Adenus Wastewater Solutions told Outen, "We can certainly pick that up."
Outen then asked why authority customers are charged a flat fee instead of it being based on usage.
Water Authority attorney Bob Rochelle answered it is because of the difficulty in getting rates (of water usage) from the private utility companies, "so we set a flat rate … based on 300 gallons per day."
When asked why Gladeville provides the water, while the authority provides the sewage service, Rochelle explained Gladeville was created as a water provider service only.
"Prior to the authority, sewer service was only in the cities," he said. "The authority was (created) for sewage. It's a matter of history who got there first to provide services."
Outen also asked the board about the frequency of the meetings and was told they meet once a quarter, and notice is placed in area newspapers.
"We hope to post them eventually on a Web site, but again, that's an added cost," Rochelle said.
The next meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at at the authority's building at 680 Maddox Simpson Parkway in Lebanon.
Managing Editor Amelia Morrison Hipps can be reached at 444-3952, ext. 13, or by e-mail ameliahipps@lebanondemocrat.com.