There are some updates on the issues so keep checking this article for more new information on this matter and the updates can be found below at nearly the bottom in this article. Thank you.
In the state of West Virginia in United States of America, there is a small city called Williamson with population of 3,090 in 2013 Census with few of business such as banking, clothing store, pawn shop, courthouse, police station with jail, post office, one gas station, few numbers of local restaurants and no more than four or five clubs for the residents in city of Williamson pleasure especially on the weekends along with other local business including tires shop, water and sewage, fire department, hospital etc. Ever since the 2013 census for the population in city of Williamson, past two years the city of Williamson have declined for the numbers in population but the business have been increased and the city of Williamson have few of events for the residents of Williamson such as parades, run marathons, king coal and others to bring in tourists to help the economy for the city of Williamson in the state of West Virginia. The city of Williamson in West Virginia have been steady for few years until last week when a business made an announcement to the city of Williamson in West Virginia that quickly painted the entire city of Williamson red as it have angered the entire population in the city of Williamson to the point that the citizens in city of Williamson had no choice but to protest against the business in the city of Williamson in the state of West Virginia because it is unfair to the citizens in city of Williamson.
What business did angered the entire population in city of Williamson in West Virginia? Williamson Water and Sewage. Williamson Water and Sewage increased fifty percent (50% not 5% and certainly not .5% either) to the customers which happens to be the entire population in city of Williamson who Williamson Water and Sewage have angered to the point that the entire population city in Williamson protests against them for hiking the rate.
Williamson, Wv Citizens Angered!
Williamson Water and Sewage in Williamson, West Virginia have said that they will be charging the customers 50% more than what they usually charge for because they are in $1.2 million dollars debt to Veolia Water Company. The third of Williamson population are seniors citizens who happens to obviously cannot afford the water bills if the Williamson Water and Sewage decide to start charging them fifty percent more than what they usually charge and for some reason that they seems not to have any common sense to know that senior citizens are more than likely retired or on the governments payroll such as social security or compensation from where they are retired. The first two citizens in the city of Williamson to protest is Shawn Williamson and Teresa McCune by petitions method which was approved in the city of Williamson by officials. The petition that was started by both Shawn Williamson and Teresa McCune must have a quarter of Williamson Water and Sewage customers signatures along with other help such as delegate in West Virginia Justin Marcum who has private law practice in city of Williamson. When the protest begin, three officials from the city of Williamson filed in their resignations with excuses saying that it was due to medical reason but the real reason of the resignations is because they are being overwhelmed with the protests who roars loudly to let them know that it is not fair for what they are doing to the people in city of Williamson.
Three officials in city of Williamson who filed in resignations are Mayor Steven Knopp, City Clerk Frances Frye and City Attorney Chris Younger. City Attorney said of his resignation who have been with Williamson for twenty-five (25) years and that the job is now too much with his private law practice but the other two officials only gave excuses. The citizens in the City of Williamson are complaining that there is no transparency with the officials and that they wonder what is the reason for the officials to not be transparent with the Williamson citizens. The citizens wonders why the Williamson Water and Sewage are being secret from the eyes of City of Williamson about the debt or wondering if they are stealing money off the citizens then only pay small amounts to Veolia Water Company so the citizens in the City of Williamson demands the company to be audited to make sure that they are not hiding anything but so far it seems that the Williamson Water & Sewage company are trying to prevent that from happening. Shawn Williamson said that so far there is 548 signatures on the petitions, with the hope of reaching least of 700 signatures before the deadline and officials have scheduled a meeting on Thursday on September 10th at 3:30PM with utility board then have a council meeting at 6:00pm.
Here is what Shawn Williamson, a citizen of Williamson city said of progress with the protests:
The Progress in city of Williamson and the Williamson and Sewage. I think it is overwhelming. Almost every person that we have come in contact with has been overly excited to see us doing this and to sign the petition. No one can understand how it has been kept secret about the overall amount owed. We think there is an error in someone’s accounting with the city. One main thing that has been told to us off the record is that there was a worker that was supposed to put the increases in effect over the past eight (8) years but didn’t. That’s what caused such a huge amount of increase today. But regardless of what it is, it will be brought to light when the audit comes about.
Here are a couple of videos that a citizen of Williamson, Shawn Williamson recorded in the meetings. These videos are copyrighted by Shawn Williamson.
It seems that the Williamson Water and Sewage company is not being truthful to the citizens of Williamson as they are trying to mask themselves as much as they can from the public eyes but the citizens of Williamson knows better than that. Several years ago before having a contract with Veolia Water company, the Williamson Water and Sewage weren’t having problem with the rates like they are now so the citizens are saying that once upon a time that the company were successful on their own then why not go back that way? Having no contract with anyone but run on their own then the citizens in City of Williamson wouldn’t have to go through what they are going through now. In my opinion I agree with the citizens of Williamson that there could be another way to pay back the debts to Veolia Water Company without having to increase a whopping 50 percent rate on the citizens bill for the water in their household. It is very silly of them for putting the citizens in the city of Williamson in the mud when Williamson Water and Sewage said that the citizens of Williamson did not pay their bills when Williamson Water and Sewage is the ones who really did not pay the bills to Veolia Water company. Typical isn’t it? Yeah I think so too.
How Can I Help?
If you are Williamson Water and Sewage customer, ask some citizens in Williamson for the petition for you to give your signature but please keep this in mind that you can only have one signature per household so if there are more than you in your household they cannot give their signature because it is only a signature per a household. When you write your signature you must also write your 911/emergency address of your house and not else like post office address. If you are not customer then you can spread the words all over on social media sharing this article which you will have the opportunity to do so by using the buttons above the article such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Blogger and Email. There is other way you can do is to call Williamson Water and Sewage office to voice your opinion on how it is unfair for them to be doing this to the citizens of Williamson and the more complaints they gets from calls the more pressure they will feel. Here is the number for the Williamson Water and Sewage (304) 235-2102 so feel free to blow up their phone but please do so at your best behavior because if there are foul language or anything they will NOT take your complaint seriously.
Be sure to keep checking this article back because I will be writing any updates and keep all of you updated with the progress in this matter below:
Updates:
8/31/2015:
The City of Williamson citizens are struggling with trying to give their voice to the officials about the transparency problem with the officials because the resigned mayor in the city of Williamson Stephen Knopp is trying to save his reputation by saying that he did not acknowledge that the Williamson Water and Sewage’s debt to Veolia Water company. One of two who started the protest, Shawn Williamson confronted the former mayor Stephen Knopp by asking Knopp if he have the plan to resign from the utility board also or is the former mayor of Williamson is too sick to do that too in a heated debate. Former Mayor Stephen Knopp responded to Shawn Williamson’s question saying that Shawn Williamson have a real attitude and a lack of understanding of city government.
Former Mayor of Williamson, Stephen Knopp said of Shawn Williamson in the debate:
It is not a question that even deserves to be answered. Yes or no doesn’t cover it. What is so laughable about this is the negative attitude you and some of the people show. The negative attitude you show about trying to make progress and Williamson a better place.
Now all City of Williamson citizens are questioning the lack of Stephen Knopp’s professionalism, how he treats the City of Williamson citizens and lack of his duty for the city of Williamson in West Virginia which upset the former mayor to the point that the mayor Stephan Knopp forced the citizens of Williamson from being able to have their voice. Of course that have upset the citizens in the City of Williamson due to the former mayor’s behavior towards to them. As of for now the city of Williamson are searching for a new mayor to take over the city of Williamson but this worries many citizens because they said that they are tired of elitism/classism so they are hoping that the next mayor will be someone who is not afraid to take the action against officials or anyone who aren’t doing the duty for the city of Williamson and its citizens unlike the former mayor Stephen Knopp or some of other officials who blame the citizens for the officials own fault.
Here are a few of articles from news talking about Williamson Water and Sewage and the city of Williamson.
To the citizens in the City of Williamson. Keep on fighting, don’t give up and keep on pressuring them! I wish you all nothing but the best and if any of you have new information about this situation please contact me by going to the contact tab at the top of the website where you will write in email form. Thank you everybody!
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Joshua “Joshie” Sullivan.
