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Council previews ordinance to raise utility deposit to $600; set for second reading
Summary
Crown Point council introduced an ordinance to raise required utility deposits from $400 to $600 to protect the city against unpaid accounts; council voted to read the ordinance by title only and hold it for a second reading.
Crown Point City Council on Sept. 2 introduced an ordinance that would raise the city’s utility deposit requirement from $400 to $600 and read the ordinance by title only for a second reading.
Council members said the clerk‑treasurer’s office recommended the increase after analyzing instances where customers left with unpaid balances. "This is looking out for the city for those who skip their bills," a council member said during the discussion.
The ordinance was presented as a brief item during the meeting and the council moved to read the title only and hold the item for second reading. No final vote on adoption occurred at the meeting; councilmembers said the change is intended to protect rate‑paying customers from bearing costs when a customer departs with a large unpaid balance.
Why it matters: raising deposits is a policy tool municipalities use to reduce exposure to uncollectible utility charges; the council characterized the proposal as a modest increase tied to observed billing behavior. The ordinance will return for a second reading and formal vote.
