Check it out. The town of Owasco has settled its sewer debt with the city of Auburn.

Owasco Deputy Town Supervisor Doug Buchanan wasn't fooling when he presented Mayor Timothy Lattimore and Comptroller Lisa Green with an oversized novelty check for $207,000 Friday on the steps of city hall. The city wasn't winner of any sweepstakes, just the collector of past due bills.

The town of Owasco accumulated about $340,000 in delinquent bills over three quarters starting in October 2006. Though cast as a municipal deadbeat, Buchanan said the slacking was unintentional. “We've never been billed by the city of Auburn,” he said Thursday afternoon. “We didn't know we owed the money.”

Until the town received a letter in July. “We hopped on it right away, but these things take time,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan guessed the bill had always been taken care of in a timely fashion until 2006, when the town's internal workforce changed. Most of the $340,000 was available in the sewer fund because it wasn't being spent.

Friday's $207,000 payment represents the last of it, keeping the town current through July. The city has agreed to bill the town quarterly, Buchanan said.

As for the unusually large payment and publicity at city hall, Buchanan said he just wanted everyone to know that Owasco was following through.

“So I can enjoy a cup of coffee without saying the check's in the mail,” he said.