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(WNY News Now) – A chord of disharmony was struck at Music For Your Mouth, a local restaurant and community staple, after receiving a service disconnection notice from the Village of Mayville.
Mayville, N.Y. – Karen and Al Simmons, who have been operating the establishment for a number of years, said that they received notice from the Village of Mayville yesterday that they would have their electric shut off on Monday, January 27th after being notified of ice buildup on the rear of the building. They claim to have received a message from the mayor this morning that said they had an outstanding balance of $65 on their electric bill, which is ostensibly the reason for the service disconnection notice.
However, the couple stated that this is impossible, because they paid their November balance, and received a letter from the Village last month informing them that a Good Samaritan made a $1,000 payment toward their electric bill as a Christmas present to help them stay in business, an amount that was nearly double what was due. Their electric bill for the month of January isn’t due until tomorrow, January 25th.
Mayville Mayor Richard Syper clarified in a phone call with WNY News Now that the issue in question was the result of a big misunderstanding. The outstanding balance was due to the establishment having multiple meters and corresponding accounts. The December donation was applied to the requested meter and a credit was applied to account for the excess. However, Mayor Syper noted, funds cannot be transferred between accounts, meaning that the credit within the account which received the donation could not be applied to any oustanding balances in other accounts.
Mayor Syper stated that the establishment is not at any current risk of having their electric service disconnected, as the outstanding balance has since been addressed. Additionally, he said that while the ice buildup on the building could eventually result in service disconnection if left unaddressed, it was not being considered as cause for any current service disconnection, and the establishment is not presently at any risk of disconnection regarding that matter.
Another point of contention is that the couple are not the property owners who would presumably be responsible for maintaining the property. They claim that they have not heard from the property owner in 18 months, and have been fixing issues that the property has had at their own expense since then, investing their life savings into the business and property. Though they have made attempts to purchase the property in order to resolve this issue, their efforts at communicating with the owner have been fruitless.
Mayor Syper commented that the reason the couple was notified instead of the landlord regarding the ice buildup was due to the issue impacting the electric meter that is under the couple’s names, and that it is not the Village’s place to intervene regarding landlord and tenant issues.
The couple spoke about the massive display of support they’ve received from the community, who have rallied together to help them in whatever ways possible, such as breaking the ice off that has accumulated on the back of the building.
They even received a visit from Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel this morning, who they claim wishes to help them see the issue resolved. Executive Wendel gave the following statement regarding the issue: “County Executive PJ Wendel is always open to meeting with local businesses, providing guidance and support as needed. However, this particular matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Village of Mayville.”
The establishment has quickly become a local mainstay, with the couple being crowned King and Queen last year at the Winter Fest for their work within the community.
In conclusion, while fears of the establishment being subjected to electric service disconnection abounded, the symphony of music that has warmed the hearts of so many will continue uninterrupted.
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