(Joel Libava, accused lawn-killer)
From wire reports;
Cleveland, Oh --- After almost a year and a half of dealing with the Cleveland Division of Water's stellar customer service reps, meter-readers, water meter investigators (what??) and even Barry Withers, the Public Utilities Director, over erroneous bills that can't even be explained using modern scientific methods, one Cleveland area resident has had enough.
University Heights resident, Joel Libava, has had it. He told us, "I thought the mess with my water bills were over last year, and everything was settled. But in January, it started again. My quarterly bills have gone up 700%!
Libava says that what's even more bizarre is the water department's own employees can't read the bills, nor decipher them. He said that, "it's at the point where they say they have to look the bills over, and they'll call me back. They never call back!"
He even wrote an open letter to Cleveland's Mayor Jackson, last year. Read the letter. He told me that he received no response.
Earlier this year, the Director of Public Utilities (Barry Withers) called Libava, personally, and said that he would look into things. Libava requested a phone number to reach Withers personally, and they had another conversation. That number seems to have been disconnected a few months ago.
No More Lawn Watering
As much as it hurts him to do this, (he created the Green Franchise Directory a couple of years ago, and believes in all things Green) he refuses to fork over any more revenue to the Cleveland Division of Water until this is handled. (That's why he won't water his lawn.)
As much as you'd like to think that Libava may be a little off his rocker, he's not alone. The Cleveland Plain Dealer (a print newspaper from back in the days of simple, easy to read and freeking correct water bills!) has a series of articles about the thousands of complaints that have been received for more than a year now. There's even a mention of www.AdjustMyWaterBill.com in a prominent reporter's column.
There's talk of a class action lawsuit coming, maybe....
Until everything's settled with his bill, Mr. Libava may be stuck with the title of "Lawn Killer." After meeting him in person, and experiencing his..well..resolve, I really don't think he's too concerned.
(I did a follow-up with Mr. Libava, (who's also known as The Franchise King®) yesterday, and he was in talks with a major TV outlet. (ESPN I'm guessing) He told me that he was "negotiating a deal to do a one hour show," (just like the "other" Franchise King is) in which he'll be announcing where he'll be pleading guilty for the senseless killing of his lawn. ( The venue could be Cuyahoga County Common Please Court, or maybe one in Chicago, or Brooklyn, depending on a couple of little things.)
I wish Mr. Libava nothing but the best of luck. He'll need it.
Update; To help defray expenses for airtime on ESPN, Libava today announced that he'll be selling certified dead blades of grass from his University Heights lawn for a hundred dollars each.
Update #2 -- It was all a hoax?
Michael Blue, One-Up-On-You-Media
Earlier this year, the Director of Public Utilities called Libava, personally, and said that he would look into things.
Posted by: ClubPenguinCheats | 05/26/2011 at 03:21 AM
*Nobody can stop the wheel of history.
Posted by: Replica Christian Louboutin Heels | 12/12/2010 at 09:02 PM