Trafalgar utility supervisor resigns after I-Team 8 story
TRAFALGAR, Ind. (WISH) — After an I-Team 8 investigation, the Trafalgar utility supervisor resigned Tuesday, and the Town Council next week will have a special meeting.
Water in this part of the Indiana, south of Indianapolis in Johnson County, is a big deal. Not everyone has city water or a well, and they depend upon commercial water haulers for their water. I-Team 8 on Thursday ran into one of the haulers, who says the town is charging people different rates.
A local resident, Ronald Brock, on Thursday came to the Trafalgar Town Hall to get answers. I-Team 8 captured him making a call to the utility department: “I think there is a snake, and he is going to get bit.”
Brock says the town charges him double the rate for water that others are charged.
The utilities supervisor on Thursday wasn’t at Town Hall and didn’t answer the phone at the wastewater treatment plant.
Brook gave the person that answered his phone call an earful. “Well, someone has been doing a crooked deal because there are four or five haulers in Trafalgar, and we are all paying a different price.”
I-Team 8 first told you about this story last week. Jones told News that a special meeting was called “to address the honor system and concern for the theft of water on the hydrants throughout town and video evidence of such happening.”
Jones sent I-Team 8 a handful of pictures of water haulers filling up their tanks with little or no supervision from the town. Jones says she had reason to believe that water was being stolen from the town and has asked the police to investigate.
“I do. I have seen certain people have sent me videos and pictures of people that have been on our hydrants,” Jones said last week.
I-Team 8 found a commercial water hauler filling up his truck at the town water tower. He declined an interview, but allowed us to record him setting a water meter that tracks how much water he takes. He says he takes a picture of the meter and submits a monthly payment to the town based on how many gallons he uses. The town has installed surveillance cameras to keep an eye on who is coming and going.
Brock didn’t get any answers on the phone so he went inside to air his complaints, the clerk behind the counter can only do so much. He is now considering “to get a lawsuit started.”
I-Team 8 on Thursday also tried to talk to members of the Town Council, but none of them returned phone calls.
This story was updated to indicate the Town Council’s special meeting will not be to find a replacement for the utility supervisor. Jones clarified the reason for the meeting.