Former Andrew mayor and wife seeking significant refund for 15 years of overcharges on garbage pick up

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Andrew resident Barb Leppek, with her husband and former Andrew Mayor Gary Leppek, raised questions to the Andrew Village Council during their regular council meeting June 14, around overcharges to their commercial garbage collection rates, for their business Barpek Products Ltd.

The overcharges came to light after the May 24 council meeting where new rates were passed by council and revealed Barpek Products has been overcharged for the past 15 years, adding up to at least $7,000.

Changes to the village fees and charges were passed at the May 24 village council meeting and Chief Administrative

Officer Tim Melnyk said he discovered the commercial garbage pickup rates had been inexplicably different for all of the local businesses, including one which had been significantly overcharged for years.

“(For garbage collection) we found one commercial user that was being charged $88 when the rate was $45.79,” he said, adding he could find no reason why the user’s rates should be so different.

“All of the commercial (users) that are paying commercial (for) garbage (pickup), every one of those rates were different. It ranged from $88 all the way down to (just over) $45.”

Leppek said her family’s business was the one being severely overcharged and questioned the council on their next steps.

“We've been paying $88.99 per month for the last 15 years, so we’ve been overpaying according to your chart by $43.20 every month,” said Leppek. “I'm just wondering what you're going to do about it. According to my figures, you owe us over $7,000 after 15 years.”

Andrew Mayor Merwin Haight said he put in a call to municipal affairs for direction in dealing with the situation.

“It's kind of unique when something like this goes on for so long,” he said.

CAO Melnyk said he would have to investi-