BIXBY -- A Bixby citizen claims the city has been overcharging for water utilities for years and wants residents to sign a newly created petition to start an investigation.
Dean Tedder is confident he's done his homework.
"The high water bills started it," he said. "The quality of the water is now being looked into by DEQ and there are smells, odors and tastes that the water in Bixby is wrong. "
Just last week, Tedder created a petition. It now was more than 200 signatures.
"There's people with water bills starting from $300 all the way to $1,400," Tedder said. "It seems like the citizens aren't important."
The city says water billing is meter based and claim if there's a leak or if you're watering a large lawn, it's not impossible to use the kind of volume of water that could result in a high bill.
"I'd like to see Bixby do better," concerned citizen Brian Murchison said.
Tedder says he's asked to meet with the city manager and attorney.
"The response is always if you want answers to get an attorney and to me that's unacceptable," he said.
Tedder says he was declined over email. The city attorney stated wanting to "avoid becoming part of the story."
"It just seemed like an episode of something you'd see on television with all of the conflicts of interest," Murchison said.
The Bixby resident won't stop until questions get answered.
"Myself and other citizens have already reached out to OSBI and have asked for an investigation and an audit," Tedder said. "We've been told it will take six months."
The city declined an on-camera interview, but sent 2 Works for You this statement:
"The financial and operational concerns mentioned in Mr. Tedder's post have been addressed in multiple public meetings and forums. Mr. tedder has the right to his own opinions, but the city is not going to respond to them in this forum."
