Meeting of the Public Works Commission –February 10th, 2026
Present: Diego Barricelli, Chairman
Erica Lotz, Commissioner
Andrew Scarano, Commissioner
CONFERENCES:
Yania Gao – 81 Taylor St. She is seeking an abatement on a high water & sewer bill for January 2026. When she called the Engineering Department, she was told that she was showing a small leak code on her bill, so she was instructed on how to perform a dye/food coloring test in the toilets. When she attended the meeting, she told the Commissioners that while she was away on vacation that month there was in fact a toilet running the whole time resulting in this high bill she was inquiring about. She has since repaired a broken flapper in the toilet and as of this hearing her bills are back down to normal. This account was granted abatement for the following reasons: No evidence of a defective meter abatement based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $301.56 for January 2026
All in favor
Ishina Balwani – 75 Lebanon St. Seeking abatement on her December 2025 & January 2026 water and sewer bills. This is a multi-family approximately 7 people and she does live on the property. When she called to inquire about possibly getting an abatement on the two high bills she told Karen that one of the units had a leak in the bathroom toilet and they didn't realize it had flooded the basement. She had a plumber get a new toilet, and as of this hearing her bills are back to normal. This account was granted abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, abatement based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $2,328.89 for December 2025 & January 2026
All in favor
Brian Rabin – 64 Chandler Road. Seeking abatement on a high water and sewer bill, for December 2025. He had noticed the bills creeping up a little since the October bill, so when he called to inquire what it could be Karen instructed him to check and test the toilets for flapper issues so he did and at this hearing told the Commission that in fact one of the toilets was running after flushing so he replaced the flapper and as of this hearing his bills are back down to normal usage. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, abatement based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $175.85 for December 2025 & January 2026
All in favor
Lorraine Blanch – 80 Boylston St. Seeking abatement on her November, December 2025 & January 2026 slightly higher water and sewer bills. When she called the Engineering office to inquire about the higher bills, she was told that he was showing a continuous leak code on her usage for those three months and the over usage was probably caused by a faulty flush valve. She was instructed on how to do the dye test in the toilets to see if they were leaking. She claims at the hearing that she did the test and did not find anything with the toilets but in fact there was a leak in her bathtub which she had to have a plumber come in and repair. As of this hearing her bills are back to normal usage. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, abatement based upon hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $530.17 for November, December 2025 & January 2026
All in favor
Juan A. Flores – 478 Ferry St. Seeking abatement on his December 2025 & January 2026 water and sewer bills. When he saw the high bill in December he called and spoke with Karen who suggested they do the dye test in the toilets to check to see if the flapper was sealing properly. When he attended the hearing, he said there was in fact an issue with the toilet flapper, so he changed it. As of this hearing his bills are back down to normal. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, abatement based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $317.53 for December 2025 & January & February 2026
All in favor
Vipul Patel, ANKUR, INC.- 321 Broadway - Seeking abatement on several of his water & sewer bills namely January & February 2026. This is Hotel that he owns. Occupancy has been down over 30% in 2025. He had been receiving Estimated bills from April 2025 through November 2025, we had sent several letters that his meter wasn't working, and we needed him to make an appointment so we could repair it as we weren't getting actual reads on the meter. We finally got in there to repair the R900 radio and then he got the first high bill for January 2026 which we call the "catch up" bill. The second high bill he recently received for February he is showing a Continuous leak code so he was instructed to go through each unit with his maintenance guy and check all the toilets and replace the flappers or his bills will keep increasing unless he replaces these flappers. Commission was very generous with this abatement as he uses this hotel for Housing Families as well 8 months of Estimated bills were abated lower. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, just a non-reading R900 which was replaced. Abatement is based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $5,830.97 for January & February 2026
All in favor
Sharmin Ahmed – 27 Ridgehill Avenue. Seeking abatement on his January 2026 water and sewer bill. When he called the office to inquire as to an abatement he spoke to Sonny in Engineering and told him that he had not only a leaking faucet but also a leaky shower head that he recently had repaired. He owns this property but lives out of State in Florida so he asked if Sonny could be his voice at the hearing and he said he would. As of this hearing the bills are back to normal use. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, abatement based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $391.36 for January 2026
All in favor
Touch Sinn- 20 Roberts St. Seeking abatement on her January & February water & sewer bills. This is a Duplex with owner and Rental property. When she called to inquire about the high bills, she was told that her account showed a leak code for the two months that she was inquiring about, so it was suggested for her to get some food coloring and go over to the property and test the toilets, so she did. When she came to the hearing she said she did in fact find that there was a toilet running so she changed out flapper in February. She also told the Commission that she is the Tenant and she receives and pays the Water Bill, so they told her that the home owner who lives next door at #18 has to receive the bill at her address as owner of property and if she then wants to hand it to the tenant to pay she can do so, but it has to be addressed to owner of property. As of this hearing her bills are back down to normal use. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: No evidence of a defective meter, abatement based on hearing testimony.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $1,378.72 for January and February 2026
All in favor
Provident Realty Trust – 105 Broadway. Seeking abatement on one big water & sewer bill for January 2026. This is a Commercial property, an Auto Sales Company with approximately 4 Employees at the property on a work week schedule. When they called Engineering, they were told that they had been receiving Estimated bills for over a year and we had sent several letters & left blue notices requesting they call and set up an appointment so we could see why the R900 wasn't registering usage. According to Ronnie Tom, Water Meter Foreman, he went out there twice and told them they needed to have their plumber replace a shut off valve so that we could come back after this was done to do our work to the Meter/R900. The R900 was replaced and the first bill read manually is considered the "catch up" bill which of course was the water that didn't register when the R900 was broken, so he was told this. The Commission reluctantly offers them an abatement on the account. This account was granted an abatement for the following reason: Evidence that meter needed a Shut off valve replaced by their plumber before Water Meter Technician could do his work and replace Meter/R900 and since replaced they now have normal bills after the large catch-up bill.
Commission voted to grant adjustment of $1,591.75 for January 2026
All in favor
INCORRECT BILLING FORM: (2)
- National Grid, 170 Medford St. – Customer received an estimated bill when it was thought to be vacant, but it is an irrigation meter. Request for an abatement of $357.52. Commission voted to grant adjustment of $357.52
- Crestview Drive – Ledgewood Condo Association – Customer received 5 estimated bills because it was thought to be vacant, but it was an irrigation meter. Request for an abatement of $2,947.77. Commission voted to grant adjustment of $2,947.77
CANCELLED: (1)
- George Vandoros, 259 Main St. REF#15002001
NO SHOW: (5)
- Alice Wu, 46 Home St.
- Hans Chen, 35 Ripley St. (Rescheduled to April)
- Rounak Shrestha, 215 Sylvan St.
- Carmelo Cucuzza, 134 Malden St.
- Done Deal, LLC., 209-211 Salem St. (Rescheduled to March)
VOTES:
- To grant an abatement of $301.56 to 81 Taylor St.
- To grant an abatement of $2,328.89 to 75 Lebanon St.
- To grant an abatement of $175.85 to 64 Chandler Rd.
- To grant an abatement of $530.17 to 80 Boylston St.
- To grant an abatement of $317.53 to 478 Ferry St.
- To grant an abatement of $5,830.97 to 321 Broadway
- To grant an abatement of $391.36 to 27 Ridgehill Avenue
- To grant an abatement of $1,378.72 to 20 Roberts St.
- To grant an abatement of $1,591.75 to 105 Broadway
Meeting Adjourned at: 5:50 pm
Next Meeting: March 10th, 2026
Karen M. Bourque, Clerk to Commission
Diego Barricelli, Chairman
Erica Lotz, Commissioner
Andrew Scarano, Commissioner