COVINGTON, Ga. — The City of Covington is suing the Newton County school board for what it says are unpaid stormwater fees.
According to the March 18 court filing made by the city, the school board is accused of not paying the city more than $38,144 related to billing and penalties from March 2016 through July 18, 2025.
The district said the board of education has not contested the bill or applied for an extension or claim against the costs.
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Due to multiple delays in payment stretching back nearly a decade, the city says the school district has accumulated additional fees and charges.
Some of the late fee penalties listed in documents from the lawsuit were less than $10.
But as bills continued to go unpaid, according to the water records, the fees stacked up.
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Covington officials included a copy of the bill they say was owed by the Newton County Board of Education in the lawsuit, which showed multiple past due notices were sent to the school district.
In a statement posted to the school district’s media platforms, Newton County Schools said it was aware of the “recent developments regarding stormwater fees and the questions they have raised within our community.”
The district said that due to the complicated nature of the legal issue at play, they were unclear on their obligations under current state law and are reviewing the legal aspects.
“At the same time, we value the cooperative relationships we’ve built with our municipal partners and seek to maintain them,” the district said in part. “Our focus, however, remains where it belongs - on our students. Newton County Schools is committed to providing educational excellence for every child, and we approach all decisions in pursuit of this mission while also being good stewards of public resources.”
The City of Covington is requesting the fees be paid upon date of judgment in court also seeking attorneys fees be covered upon completion of the litigation.
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