During a recent city council meeting, officials conducted a public hearing regarding the annual assessment of delinquent solid waste collection service charges for the fiscal year 2024-2025. The meeting, which began at 5:44 PM, included a presentation from city staff outlining the process for placing unpaid solid waste accounts onto the property tax rolls.

City staff reported that as of July 10, 2023, the total amount of unpaid refuse bills had decreased from approximately $1.2 million to $730,000, thanks to ongoing collection efforts. Initially, 5,338 residential accounts were delinquent, but this number has been reduced to 2,246. For commercial accounts, the number dropped from 143 to 67. The deadline for property owners to settle their accounts and avoid liens is August 19, 2023.

Public comment was invited, and one speaker, Javier Zambrano, raised concerns about receiving a delinquency notice despite making regular payments for waste collection at Club Trinidad. He emphasized that the establishment does not generate food waste and requested clarification on the matter. City staff assured Zambrano that they would work with him to resolve the issue.

Council members discussed the implications of the delinquency notices, with some expressing concerns about potential address discrepancies that could lead to wrongful delinquency claims. They suggested that future reports include actual addresses rather than just Assessor's Parcel Numbers (APNs) to facilitate easier identification of delinquent accounts.

The council unanimously approved the final report on delinquent accounts, which will be certified and sent to the county tax collector for inclusion in the upcoming tax process. The meeting concluded with a commitment to improve communication and reporting methods in future assessments.