Council members upset over water bill review - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Council members upset over water bill review

Some members of Toledo City Council have harsh words for the Bell Administration.

"I think its dirty politics and I think that Toledo deserves better," Council President, Joe McNamara told 13abc.

Councilman Mike Collins said, "it was nothing more than an abusive use of power."

This coming after a review revealing who is current on their water bill payments in the city.  It all stems from a $200 deposit debate over new service.

"It's a repulsive use of political process for their own political agendas," Collins said.

Collins said council members asked tough questions, ultimately forcing a change in the deposit police, and the administration got angry.

The document shows the payment records of every council member.  Six received final notices to pay, some more than once.  But at the very top Mayor Mike Bell and members of his administration.  One has received a final notice to pay.

A spokesperson for the Mayor's office told 13abc this was done in the "interest of transparency, to make sure everyone had the correct information of where the administration and council stood with the city."

"This document was clearly created to get at council," McNamara said.

McNamara also believes this stems from the water deposit debate, calling it unnecessary and wrong.

"It is something that Richard Nixon would do if he were mayor of Toledo," McNamara said.

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