A lawsuit against the city of Callaway has been filed by the keep Sandy Creek beautiful corporation. It seems to be that both sides are fighting for the same thing. Equality. One side says they are trying to treat everyone equal by administering fees for new utility customers. Sandy Creek residents say they are not being treated fairly and have already paid the fees in question-- to the previous utility company.
Water is a necessity that Mark Anderson admits is...well, necessary. What he didn't expect is that it would cost him and every Sandy Creek resident as much as it has.
"There's a lot of people that are going to struggle," said Anderson.
The City of Callaway bought out Utilities Inc., and in turn gained the customers in Sandy Creek. The city of Callaway is imposing impact fees, ad velorum taxes, and capital extension fees. It's these fees that residents say they've already paid.
"We wanted to be Callaway's customers. We just don't want to pay $10,000 per house to be Callaway's customer's," said Anderson. "Especially when we didn't have a choice."
Equality is what the city says they're aiming for, and with an iron arrow.
"As tough as it may sound, its not fair for us to apply it to someone that comes in requesting new service that just built their house and not apply it to someone else that really fits the same category," said Callaway Mayor Thomas Abbott.
The City of Callaway says it is proactive in finding relief for the residents.
"We've said as a commission we're going to do everything we can to apply whatever we have available to us, to credit them if we receive grants," said Mayor Abbott.
For now though, it is a court issue and Anderson says they have washed their hands of the ordeal.
"It's in the lawyers hands from here," said Anderson.
The city would not comment on the lawsuit itself being as though it was served just days ago.
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