WARREN, Ohio - Cathy Dean and her family have lived at a home in Leavittsburg for six years. All that time she's been fighting with the City of Warren over thousands of dollars in water bills.

“I don’t have three thousand dollars to just hand over,” Dean said. 

Dean told 21 News that the owners of the home before her had a delinquent bill at one point, but they paid it. But, six years later, Dean keeps getting billed for it again.

Since she hasn't paid the money she says she doesn't owe, the matter escalated to a special assessment on her property tax bill in the amount of $3,576.93. 

“I was angry,” she said. “I’ve been trying to solve this for six years.”

Dean said she went down to the water department to dispute the bill and was told that she needed to prove that a check from the previous owner was sent. 

“There's no record of that check anymore, it's gone,” she said. “The banks not keeping records, I think they said longer than five years.”

What Dean does have is a document dated in August of 2018 from the water department to the county auditor directing the office to remove the special assessment delinquent water charge for the property- indicating it was settled with the previous owners. 

The previous owner also told 21 News that they reached out to the water department back in May of 2018 with an attorney. She claims, back then, the water department agreed over the phone to drop all fees and penalties and it would take nine months for the bills to reflect that.

“On there, it was cleared out. Her next tax bill did not have that delinquency on it,” Dean said about what the previous owner got before the home was transferred to her name. 

But those charges ended up coming back.

The Trumbull County Auditor is the one that puts the special water assessment fee on property taxes.

“Because this involves a situation that is six years in the past and predates my taking office, investigating it will take more than an afternoon. I am still in the process of determining all of the facts.  Once I have done that, I will work towards a legal resolution of the issue,” County Auditor Martha Yoder told 21 News.

However, Dean feels it's a race against time to fix the issue since her property taxes are due next week. She fears if she doesn’t pay the thousands of dollars by then she will lose everything. 

“What do I do if they decide to foreclose on the house because of this? What am I going to do with my children?” Dean asked. “Why should I have to lose everything, potentially, over something that I didn't do.”

Dean emphasized she is only asking for a clean slate and for the charges on her bill that relate to the previous owner to be removed.

The Trumbull County Auditor's office said they are investigating. The Warren City Water Department told 21 News Franco Lucarelli, the director of the department, was out of the office Wednesday and no one could not comment before this publishing.