[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6233024,"mediaKeyId","3425448-715deccdf4a1abdde257e94790b6b051","parentId",3425448,"title","City staff recommend pursuing Arizona Water agreement to allow shutoffs for long-unpaid sewer bills","audioSeconds",902,"startMs",1438000,"endMs",2340000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3425448-715deccdf4a1abdde257e94790b6b051&start=1438&end=2340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3425448-715deccdf4a1abdde257e94790b6b051/thumbnail_1438000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6233024/Casa-Grande/Pinal-County/Arizona/City-staff-recommend-pursuing-Arizona-Water-agreement-to-allow-shutoffs-for-long-unpaid-sewer-bills","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233024-9b2580fa5830d65214e10a6edb6b65cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148796&Signature=TMkAer7r3pYsat92rTweLcGXVZ~RwfnvYbkrnkDPooHp64Uyk44cDEOOyFK8~s-PiGuCZ18--QPsjHstoNfKPg-IF5vxxNfBqAa4BU~4a3CbvSPLi0DwbDXiGgieiQGJcVZcUJKzUN170idvzL7ahcJUFvECAs4wQ5jtpCSnNkeEqjViysfbwkd69grP217Tdnf5ILvd3pISfE3pDdu3kij7Nr08bycWNQfPJ5~OeoAiQF1h-RdRK-lC4e3k-6VedGhXdPiZ~35i4nIjOEw80Yv~XUVA8~nIdqNFXBeog81ZGFGcvw196VKrgcAkG28d4XCZx6xTK14QZYijrHNAZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Casa Grande, AZ","date","2025-05-21T15:25:01.067Z","article","City staff recommended that Casa Grande pursue an agreement with Arizona Water Company to permit water-service disconnections for customers who are 90 days or more delinquent on city sewer bills and asked the council for direction at a study session.

The issue arises because the city provides wastewater service but not potable water; staff said gravity-fed sewer systems cannot reasonably be turned off, which has reduced the city’s leverage to collect sewer charges. Rob, a staff member, told the council the city conservatively estimates at least $1,800,000 in sewer revenue \"that should have been collected but not collected,\" and presented an agreement other Arizona municipalities have used to address similar shortfalls.

Why it matters: Staff said allowing Arizona Water to disconnect shared customers who are long-term delinquent would provide a practical collection tool, reduce cross-subsidization by paying customers, and prompt delinquent customers to address balances early through payment plans.

How the proposed agreement would work

- Eligibility and notice: The agreement would apply only to customers who receive water from Arizona Water Company and wastewater service from the city and are 90 days or more past due. The city would be required to mail notice to the customer and place a physical notice on the premises before a disconnection could occur.

- Payment plans and reconnection: The agreement requires the city to offer a payment plan; Arizona Water would disconnect service only after notices and the waiting period. Arizona Water would reconnect service after the balance is paid or a payment plan accepted.

- Fees and costs: Rob said the model agreement includes a one-time $1,000 establishment charge (to be paid by the city), an annual fee of $0.50 per shared customer, a $100 disconnection/reconnection fee, and a monthly lost-revenue fee prorated for days of disconnection. Staff said other cities that have such agreements generally pass the routine fees (annual $0.50 and disconnection/lost-revenue fees) on to customers as part of delinquent balances; the establishment charge would be borne by the city.

- Local scale and precedent: Staff estimated shared residential accounts in the ballpark of 22,000 (roughly 94% of the total customers are residential). Rob reported that other jurisdictions — Buckeye, Sedona and Coronado Utilities — have used the agreement successfully and that Sedona officials told staff they had not yet needed to disconnect service because customers addressed past-due balances after receiving notice.

- Regulatory step: Staff said the Arizona Corporation Commission must approve a variance to allow Arizona Water to disconnect service on the city’s behalf; Buckeye, Sedona and Coronado Utilities have secured that variance, establishing a precedent staff said is likely to be granted here.

Numbers discussed and staff cautions

- Delinquencies and amounts: Rob said finance staff identified approximately 9% of accounts as delinquent in some way but that the portion of those accounts that are long-term nonpaying is not yet quantified. He reported a conservative estimate of at least $1,800,000 potentially collectible under a stronger enforcement mechanism.

- Rate implications: Staff said the annual $0.50 per shared customer would likely be implemented as a minor rate adjustment and noted that other participating cities add that cost to customer bills. Council members discussed how that annual fee spreads across the customer base and that the city would need to set a minor rate change to accommodate the annual fee.

Council response and next steps

Council members asked about the exact fees and scale; Rob confirmed the fee structure is the same as other jurisdictions’ agreements and that staff intends to ask the council to authorize engagement with Arizona Water to draft an agreement for formal adoption. Matt asked how many shared customers the city has; Rob said \"It's somewhere in the ballpark of for residential accounts... about 22,000, a little short of that.\" Ed Edwards and Council Member Herman raised cost and fairness questions; staff said other cities reported positive community response because the approach reduces cross-subsidization.

Staff requested direction to engage Arizona Water Company and develop the agreement, pursue the Arizona Corporation Commission variance, and return the proposed agreement to council for adoption. The council provided general support for staff to proceed; no formal vote occurred at the study session.

Ending

Staff will pursue drafting an agreement with Arizona Water, seek the required commission approval, design a robust outreach campaign and return to council with the agreement and an implementation plan. Staff noted they would propose offering payment plans and extensive public notice before any disconnections occur.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Study Session | May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff recommended pursuing an agreement with Arizona Water Company that would allow water disconnection for customers 90 days delinquent on sewer bills to recover unpaid wastewater revenue and sought council direction.","taxTitle","Casa Grande, Pinal County, Arizona","taxId",4122,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6233029,"Casa Grande staff present draft ordinance to limit camping in public spaces, set park ramada time limits",926,440000,1366000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3425448-715deccdf4a1abdde257e94790b6b051&start=440&end=1366","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3425448-715deccdf4a1abdde257e94790b6b051/thumbnail_440000.jpg","/articles/6233029/Casa-Grande/Pinal-County/Arizona/Casa-Grande-staff-present-draft-ordinance-to-limit-camping-in-public-spaces-set-park-ramada-time-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233029-a9c1ffe84b59d53470682011417dd0a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148796&Signature=mWPJrUReHkW6skJKsRJKHQlLjeit1s-TqO4HsEWeP4-R7Ms0v-Cwhu2XoZTULNqRLCVk8K57heuQKTTzIAViTYXFaCnD0BZQf7NaxK7J1G3scBHVEXwjaFWPviVNgq39ow~IrcFxgGbzQBfTSaJm6Hymz45u5NuvnmpnopKm8JAY2AJxU4dkC63hp~NyKQLgp7XOxcmgCU8ftj-WF7y91h85SQgvF6MDJm4R6mnRNQYfWB9XGBfPxsNcFUT-7e6ujzuQi6BFEQwoMc-GDmYv0gWzF-wXj33lHWuZ3WRRWAYT03U5ZnyJdGpXAD0QE5zliTk67OP77DWas7vsSUFXVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a draft ordinance at a study session proposing new limits on camping and abandoned property in public places across Casa Grande and asked the council for feedback on outreach and implementation.

The proposal would make camping in fountains, splash pads and lakes subject to a new prohibition, authorize the director of community services and the city manager to issue permits for camps connected to youth organizations or special events, and allow the city to remove abandoned items from parks after notice. Steven, a staff member, told the council that \"There is a 24 hour notice. And if removed, the city will store the belongings for 10 days before disposing of them.\" He added, \"This really is the last step that we plan to use. We want to use other things.\"

Why it matters: Council members and staff said parks use and safety motivated the draft. Staff framed the ordinance as one tool among outreach, nonprofit coordination and services rather than immediate citation. The city plans a public information campaign and a possible delayed effective date so residents and service providers can prepare before enforcement begins.

Key details discussed

- Permits and exceptions: The draft says the director of community services may issue permits to camps for youth organizations and schools, and the city manager may issue temporary permits tied to special events. Staff said permitted uses (for example, organized camps at North Mountain Park or Rodeo Grounds) would be exempt from the new restrictions.

- Ramada time limits: The park regulation draft would allow unreserved ramadas or picnic shelters to be used without a permit for up to two consecutive hours; staff defined \"consecutive\" as use within the same six-hour period. If a ramada is reserved, the reservation overrides the two-hour cap.

- Notice, storage and penalty: Staff described a two-step notice requirement for abandoned property and camping: mailed notice and a physical posting on the premises. If belongings are removed, the city will store them for 10 days before disposal. Brett, a staff member, said the cited penalty would be a class 3 misdemeanor and noted \"the maximum fine is $500.\" Staff emphasized the penalty is intended as a last resort.

- Private property: Mary Fitzgibbon noted the draft also addresses camping on private property without owner permission; staff clarified that the ordinance would not prohibit ordinary backyard family camping and that officers could still pursue trespass in other circumstances. Staff said property owners would not be required to post \"no trespassing\" signs specifically for the camping provision.

- Implementation and outreach: Staff said the ordinance would take two council readings plus a 30-day cure period if approved; they estimated an effective date in July or August depending on revisions. Beginning July 1 under the next budget, one existing employee would be dedicated to code enforcement work focused on issues involving people who are unhoused or unsheltered. Staff described plans to coordinate with nonprofits, distribute resources and survey stakeholder organizations, publish the ordinance in the newspaper, consider signage in parks, and possibly use a warning period before active enforcement.

Discussion and stakeholder input

Stakeholders and nonprofit representatives met with staff before the study session; staff said attendees were generally supportive of the ordinance as part of a broader strategy of outreach and services. Jerry, a representative from Saint Vincent de Paul, was cited as a stakeholder who was unable to attend but works with the unhoused and vulnerable population. Council members and staff repeatedly stressed that enforcement would be intended to encourage connection to services rather than to punish without offering help.

Where the process goes next

Staff said a final ordinance will be drafted after the study-session comments and brought to the council for the first or second meeting in June for formal readings. No formal vote took place at the study session; staff sought direction on outreach and final drafting.

Ending

Council members asked staff to include robust public notification plans (including printed publication and nonprofit outreach), consider signage in parks, and build a warning period before citations if the ordinance is adopted. Staff will prepare a final draft ordinance for a future council meeting and continue coordination with local nonprofits and the police department.","City staff presented a draft ordinance at a study session that would restrict camping in public places, allow removal of abandoned property from parks, set a two-hour limit for unreserved ramada use, and prescribe notice and limited penalties; staff said outreach and services would precede enforcement.","actionData","errors"]

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City staff recommend pursuing Arizona Water agreement to allow shutoffs for long-unpaid sewer bills

Casa Grande staff present draft ordinance to limit camping in public spaces, set park ramada time limits