This is an interactive post. If anyone can tell me the exact amount of money it will cost the Monkey Junction residents to secure water and sewer services to their properties, I will personally lobby to have you declared as the world’s smartest person. This exact amount must be based on the information that has been provided to the public.
I encourage Wilmington city staff to play this game because they are less likely to know than anyone else.
Let me you help along with the game. This website is where Wilmington has its information on the annexation.
Can’t find the information on this page? I’ll give you a second hint (the city had to tell me too, so don’t feel bad). Go to page E-5 of the annexation plan (as if anyone should have to search to find out this critical information).
My interactive game is impossible because nobody can know what the total costs will be based on the information provided. According to Wilmington:
“Consistent with prior annexations, the City Council will establish connection fees when the cost of service connections on lines installed by the City has been determined.”
In other words, Monkey Junction residents can’t know what the connection fees are because they haven’t even been established yet! Wilmington was nice enough to list 2007 prices–that’s their latest policy on connection fees.
The city lists an example of what impact and tap fees could be and states “The examples listed above are for a 5/8? meter and will vary based upon the size of meter and sewer service connection.”
Wilmington then doesn’t bother to explain how the costs of these fees change based on the type of meter and the size of the connection. In other words, the annexation victims have no way to figure out these costs as it applies to them.
Under the annexation law, a city must provide water and sewer service to properties based on the financial policies in effect in such municipality for extending water and sewer lines.
Under 160A-47.1, a municipality may not charge any more money than what is listed in their policies six month prior to the notice of intent.
Wilmington may think that not listing exact prices is a way around having to be bound by any specific prices. I think not. Under the law, a city can’t simply determine the costs whenever they want.
In fact, Wilmington may find that they will be bound by their 2007 prices on connection fees because that’s the only connection fees they have listed.
In addition to Wilmington’s lie about water and sewer service, this lack of information should make the city realize that they need to go back and start again (preferably, just end the annexation now). They can proceed and then have a court force them to start all over, or they can just start all over now.
Still don’t think oversight is necessary?
I still have yet to mention the biggest abuse Wilmington has engaged in–an abuse that is far worse than just abusing the annexation law–it is a violation of the Constitution. Stay tuned for Part III of this riveting series.
