Officials: Water back on for ‘innocent victims’

By Denice Thibodeau

Published: October 10, 2008

The tenants and apartment owners at Cabin Lake have had their water service restored at least temporarily, according to Danville officials.

The water was turned off at all 100 units for non-payment on Wednesday, but the residents were not at fault because the water in all units and electricity in many units is included in their rent, officials said.

Barbara Dameron, the city’s finance director, said the landlord has surpassed the 30-day grace period allowed for late payments and has not fulfilled promises to pay the bill. She would not say how much the total past due amount is, but said the monthly bill for water and electricity is generally between $20,000 and $27,000.

A payment for two months of utilities is now owed, which triggers the city policy to cut services, Dameron said.

Some of the units at Cabin Lake are privately owned, but the majority of the units in the complex on Cherokee Court are listed in city land records as being owned by Raymond and Carlotta Pyant Jr., of Richmond. The Pyants also jointly own several parcels on Springfield Road, Southland Drive and West Main Street.

They own the overall complex, its breezeway and parking lots, and are responsible for its general upkeep.

Temporary relief

The decision to restore water to the complex was to give residents time to make plans for other arrangements if the Pyants do not pay up.

Dameron and Inspections Division Director Jerry Rigney met with about a half-dozen residents Friday to discuss what will happen if the landlord does not pay the utility bill.

Residents can expect the water to remain on at least until Tuesday, when the city will re-evaluate the situation.

If the bill remains unpaid, the city will have to decide when to cut the water off again, which would immediately bring condemnation proceedings into play.

Rigney said Health Department regulations demand condemnation of the building if water is not available for drinking, bathing and flushing toilets.

His office would mail notices to all residents, telling them they have five days to leave the building, if the landlord continues to refuse to pay the bill. Rigney said the residents would be allowed to contact his office to arrange for access to remove their belongings after the condemnation goes into effect.

“We hate putting anyone in this situation,” Dameron said. “Whatever we do next won’t be a surprise.”

Dameron and Rigney both expressed sympathy for the residents, saying that if they pay their rent they are right to expect the landlord to fulfill his obligation to use part of those funds to pay the utility bill.

“If they are paying their rent, they are innocent victims,” Dameron said.

A continuing problem

She said the Pyants have always been delinquent in paying their bill and the city gave them all the leeway it could because it understood the residents are not at fault.

“He (Raymond Pyant) continues to tell us he is paying the next day, and doesn’t,” Dameron said, noting repeated attempts to get past due payments have been necessary for at least 18 months.

Rigney and Dameron agreed that turning the water back on is only a “temporary situation” if the bill is not paid, but said that they are looking into solutions for the residents.

Asked if individual water meters were the answer, Rigney said he had looked into that possibility and found it would be expensive for the residents because the meters themselves would be $1,400.

Rigney said major plumbing to provide separate lines also would be necessary.

“It would be impractical to do — not impossible, because with enough money anything could be done, just impractical,” Rigney said.

Attempts to reach the Pyants have been fruitless. City land records list their mailing address in Richmond, but no phone number is available.

Their mailing address matches the address for Mustard Seed of Faith World Ministries Interdenominational Gospel Fellowship, of which Raymond Pyant is listed as president and chief officer.

On Friday, a phone call to the number listed for the ministry was met with a recording that said, “At the customer’s request, this number has been temporarily disconnected.”

Contact Denice Thibodeau at or (434) 791-7985.