The City of Grovetown, Georgia recently reached a settlement with numerous plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit that alleges the city overcharged residents for water and sewer services. Current and former customers of the Grovetown water and sewer system between September 1, 2011 and September 1, 2016 might be eligible for compensation under the terms of the settlement.
Plaintiff class members Deena Youngblood, Allen Transou, and Learning, Laughter, and Love LLC claimed in the class action lawsuit that the City of Grovetown failed to follow Ordinance 9-23, which clearly describes how the city bills residents for sewer and water services. Learning, Laughter, and Love joined the case to give businesses a voice in the settlement. The City of Grovetown is not legally obligated to admit it overbilled residents and the court has not determined liability in the case.
Eligible class members will receive payments from the City of Grovetown, as well as enjoy court mandated judicial relief that forces the city to improve its water and sewer collection practices. The settlement requires the City of Grovetown to stop accepting cash payments for sewer and water services, as well as continue its current water and sewer services rate schedule until the end of 2017. Plaintiffs also included language within the settlement that mandates the city must hire an independent accounting firm to perform annual audits of the Utility Billing and Collection Department.
What You Need to Know
The class action settlement covers every current and former customer of the city’s water and sewer utility who received bills for the services between September 1, 2001 and September 1, 2016. Class members encompass businesses that used Grovetown water and sewer services. The potential award varies, with the high end of compensation being a payment voucher worth 32 percent of a resident’s 2015 water bill at current residences. Class members who live outside of the city can claim a payment of $50.
Available on the settlement website www.GrovetownWaterSettlement.com, the claim form includes a section for non-residents to add the dates and addresses of where they received Grovetown water and sewer services. The website also presents updates and important dates for finalizing the class action settlement. All class members must submit a claim form by October 2, 2017. Deena Youngblood, et al. v. City of Grovetown, Case No. 2016-cv-0413, in the Superior Court for Columbia County, Georgia has a final hearing on June 26, 2017.
Class counsel includes Jeffrey F. Peil of Charles T. Huggins, Jr. PC and Travers W. Paine, III who represents the law firm Travers W. Paine III PC. Christopher N. Dube of Dube & Dowdy Attorneys PC handles the defense responsibilities for the City of Grovetown.
