Sep. 15--David Neill, a three-year veteran on the City-County Utility Commission, took the oath of office yesterday to become the new chairman of the group that oversees water, sewer and solid waste activities in the county.

Neill replaced Pat Swann, who retired from the commission on July 13 after long involvement in the water and sewer affairs of the city and county.

"I was at the first utility commission meeting in 1976," Swann told the panel yesterday as he received a resolution and a plaque honoring his service. "Today is the first time I've been here when I didn't have some type of responsibility. It feels good. I think it is going to work."

Janeen Lalik was named to take the seat Neill had held on the commission. Neill is the owner of Mercedes-Benz of Winston-Salem. Lalik is employed with International Sports Properties Inc.

Neill's first session holding the chairman's gavel didn't go without some spirited discussion about whether the commission should change its assessment policies when charging for water and sewer service extensions.

Linda Dunigan, who lives on Mallard Lakes Drive, told the utility commission that properties like hers -- on a street corner -- need a break in the application of the front footage assessment used to extend utility services.

Dunigan explained that under current regulations, properties with a narrow road frontage would pay less than someone on a pie-shaped lot like hers on the corner of two streets -- all because the fee is based on road frontage.

The utility commission has been examining changes that would help Dunigan and others with irregular lots. Concerns have been raised by city council members, the utility commission and a citizens' review of the commission's activities.

But assistant city attorney Jerry Kontos told the utility commission that there's little that can be legally done. The alternatives that have been considered -- fee caps, flat rates and a mixed assessment based on a combination of lot size and frontage -- all fall short of what the law allows, Kostos said in a memo to the utility commission.

The commission voted to grant no assessment relief to the Dunigan property.

wyoung@wsjournal.com

727-7369

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