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Broadwater County solid-waste officials plan letter to seek $103,000 in unpaid assessments
Summary
Solid-waste staff say the county collected 59% of funds under an equitable assessment recovery program and will draft a letter to past-due account holders to try to recover roughly $103,000; commissioners rejected liens as a preferred immediate option and may discuss publication of names as an incentive.
Broadwater County solid-waste staff told the Solid Waste Board that the county has collected about 59% of amounts owed through an equitable assessment recovery program and will draft a letter asking past-due account holders to pay roughly $103,000 still outstanding.
"Last year, we got 59% of our IRP money," said TJ Gravely, public works director. "We haven't received any money since May."
The draft letter will be placed on the county commission agenda for the 17th for discussion and a decision on sending it, Gravely said. Board members discussed other options: placing names of unpaid account holders in the newspaper, pursuing tax liens or delaying forgiveness of the debt. Several participants said they preferred trying outreach by letter before moving to liens.
"The commissioners don't want to [place liens]," a board member, Bill, said. "You could do it—put people's names in [the paper] who didn't pay—or put a 'thank you' to everybody who did pay." Bill added that publicizing payment could push neighbors to pressure one another to pay.
Board members repeatedly noted the fairness issue: raising assessments to cover shortfalls would shift the burden to people who already paid. Gravely said the list of past-due accounts includes some larger landowners who have paid some assessments but not all.
Board members discussed timing and tone for any publication. One member suggested a "thank you" notice for those who paid as an alternative to a list of delinquents; another asked staff to check legal constraints before publishing names. Gravely said the draft letter is in progress and that staff hope to connect with account holders and collect additional amounts, but he cautioned the board that full recovery of the $103,000 could be difficult.
Gravely and others said individual property owners can also publish public records themselves because assessments are public information. The board did not take a formal vote at the meeting; commissioners will consider the staff draft and any next steps at the upcoming commission agenda item.
Ending: The board scheduled further consideration with the commission; staff will finalize the draft letter and the commission will decide whether to send it or pursue other remedies on the 17th.
