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Council hears details and concerns about $2 million trash-bill forgiveness program
Summary
Administration described selection criteria, application return rates and enforcement plans for a $2 million ARPA-funded program to forgive delinquent refuse-disposal bills; council members and residents pressed for transparency and asked whether recipients understood future enforcement steps (liens/payment plans).
During the work session, administration described the city’s delinquent refuse and disposal bill assistance program, funded with ARPA dollars and revised to $2,000,000 under Resolution 17 of 02/2024.
Mister Ziolkowski said the initial eligibility list numbered about 541 people; five were removed because they were elected officials or city employees, leaving roughly 536 mailed application packets. He told council that approximately 48% of those applications had been returned at the time of the presentation.
Program rules explained by staff included both an eligibility period and a documentation requirement. As an administrator put it, "They had to miss a payment... They also had to make a payment during that same time frame to be qualified." Applicants who met those criteria received mailed applications and had to return signed forms to receive forgiveness funds.
Council members and the public requested a full accounting of dollar amounts and asked for a list of individual forgiveness amounts. Administration said the program team could share a list of recipients to the extent permitted and that the presentation numbers were updated only through the time the PowerPoint was prepared; additional returns and payments were still being processed.
Enforcement and future safeguards drew sustained questioning. The city solicitor explained the post‑forgiveness enforcement approach under existing municipal lien authority: after due‑process notices and a second letter, "after about 60 days, you... end up, with a lien on your property." Administration said the city has added a lien specialist position in the law bureau and plans to reintroduce earlier contact and notice so accounts reach lien or payment‑plan status sooner than in the past.
Administration also described operational details for the assistance payments: staff facilitate direct payment to accounts rather than handing money to homeowners, and a follow‑up letter will be sent to applicants who returned their paperwork. Council members asked that the city include clear language in future correspondence so applicants understand that receiving one‑time forgiveness does not exempt them from future bills or from enforcement action if they again become delinquent.
Several council members pressed administration to publish the program’s selection criteria, the list of those who received forgiveness (or a sanitized report showing ranges of amounts), and a timeline for when the remaining mailed applications will be processed.
Public commenters raised concerns that some residents perceived the mailed applications as a ‘‘trap’’ without clear notice of subsequent enforcement steps. Administration said it would clarify communications and provide council the requested lists and documentation.
