Girard, MetroPlex water bill battle escalates

Girard, MetroPlex water bill battle escalates

Girard

The city turned off water service to the MetroPlex this morning after receiving a check postdated for Apr. 1, said Girard Mayor James Melfi.

The city claims to have discovered MetroPlex was bypassing water from the meter for at least two months and effectively getting free water. The MetroPlex denies this.

Girard had requested $13,704 by March 15 from MetroPlex owners Aswin Ganapathy Hospitality Inc. for past due water bills, which included $2,618 for the two months.

On Monday afternoon, after Girard initially shutoff water to the facility in the morning, it was restored after MetroPlex provided a check for $8,000.

The postdate on the check was discovered this morning, prompting city to shut off water again to the MetroPlex.

“That was not part of the agreement,” Melfi said of the postdated check.

In return, the mayor said MetroPlex filed for a temporary restraining order in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to get the water turned back on. There is a hearing scheduled there for 10 a.m. Wednesday

Currently, the city and MetroPlex management are in negotiations to avoid the matter’s going to court.