The mayor of Tinajo, Jesús Machín, has not hidden his indignation with Canal Gestión for having cut off the water in several municipal dependencies. And, although he recognizes that the City Council has not paid the bills for years, he considers that "these are not the appropriate ways for a City Council that is a member of the Consortium".
“I have been told that there are more city councils that have debt. I'm not going to say names, let's talk about assumptions, just in case, but there are some who have paid and others who have not,” says Machín, questioning that Canal has only taken measures against the consistory that he presides over. “I think these are reprisals that are taken”, the mayor has stated.
In this regard, he pointed out that he made “harsh allegations” against Canal, because “the recycled water is not working” and because “the Cabildo had reported that the company had problems with the staff.”
“This seems to have hurt, because they told me: “Can you explain the statements you have made?”, he pointed out, without specifying who conveyed that question to him. In any case, he has tried to link it to the water cut. “If they wanted to mess with me, I think it's great,” the mayor added. “They probably start with the weakest. But well, they may be taller but not bigger,” he added later.
“I found out about all this 20 days ago”
According to Canal, Tinajo has not paid a single bill in four years and has accumulated a debt of 87,850 euros, corresponding to 794 unpaid receipts. “I found out about all this more than 20 days ago, when the secretary makes a payment proposal and it is not accepted,” the mayor pointed out in this regard.
However, the company claims that in recent years they have sent up to 21 letters to the City Council claiming payment, as well as two cut-off notices. The first one last February, which they finally did not execute, and another one in October, which is the one that was finally carried out this Wednesday.
For his part, Machín maintains that in previous years they were “negotiating the issue” through the secretary-intervenor and that he did not “find out about all this” until the beginning of last month, which was when the company sent that second cut-off notice.
“They call from Canal Gestión and the lawyer comes to talk to me in a tone, if not threatening, yes arrogant in his pretensions,” Jesús Machín questioned. “The funny thing is that when I said that I would talk to the manager and made him a proposal, offering to pay what I have already recognized, that those receipts are clear, they tell me no, that the expenses caused by this are 35,000 euros,” he added.
“I have never refused to pay and I will pay”
Regarding what happened in previous years, the mayor has not clarified the reasons for not paying a single bill, and has focused on questioning the expenses and interest that Canal now intends to charge for that debt, as well as the company rejecting the payment plan proposed by the City Council.
Regarding the invoices, he has pointed out that they do not “agree” with some, although he has not clarified why. In this regard, Canal assures that the City Council has not filed claims on any of the 794 invoices that are pending payment.
“I have never refused to pay and I will pay,” says the mayor, despite that debt. Now, he affirms that he will defend in court the payment plan proposed by the City Council, since Canal has taken the matter to the Courts, filing a lawsuit to claim payment of the debt.
Meanwhile, the mayor demands that the supply be returned to some of the dependencies. And it is that, contrary to what the company affirms, which assures that it has not cut off the water in essential services, Machín maintains that it has. “They will give me the water that the law protects and I will pay what the court says. And if they accept the fractionation, they will have to keep the fractionation. That's how clear,” Machín concluded.
