Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utility Liens topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board delays tax-roll liens for several delinquent utility accounts, removes two paid accounts
Summary
Following a public hearing on unpaid water and sewer accounts, the Board of Supervisors removed two paid accounts from the lien list and approved a plan to allow payment arrangements for remaining accounts; if arrangements are not made by the court-set deadline, accounts will default to placement on the tax roll.
The Madera County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday held a public hearing on delinquent water and sewer utility fees across multiple maintenance districts, removed two accounts that had been paid in full from the pending tax-roll list and approved allowing repayment arrangements for other account holders who appeared at the hearing.
Andrea Saldate, deputy director with Public Works, told the board the county mailed notices to 596 accounts on July 17; 123 accounts responded by paying in full or entering repayment plans. "At this point on the list there are 473 accounts for a total of $575,000," Saldate said, and she asked the board to remove two recently paid accounts from the posted list: Michael Belton (Parksdale line 30) and Valerie Diaz (Parksdale 3B line 4).
Several property owners and representatives addressed the board during public comment. Cindy Ratzloff of MD 22A described a building that formerly housed a laundromat and said she believed the laundromat's closure should have stopped higher sewer charges sooner; she said the property was reconfigured and later reduced to 0.4 sewer units but that the back balance remained large because prior charges continued to accrue. "We just don't feel right that it's something we should pay," she said, describing historical bills that predated adjustments staff later made.
Public Works staff explained the district's existing policy: properties with a structure in place are billed an "improved rate" based on assigned sewer units, and staff credited late fees and adjusted unit counts once the department received documentation about changes in use. Staff said some units were transferred to other properties earlier this year. Andrea Saldate said repayment plans (six- to 12-month arrangements) are available and recommended them as the practical remedy for the outstanding delinquencies.
Supervisors discussed precedent and policy. Supervisor David Rogers cautioned against erasing debt or setting a wide exception: "Let the buyer beware," he said, noting property purchasers assume existing obligations. Supervisor McCauley asked staff to provide a clear timeline of actions staff had taken for the affected property. Supervisor Monmouth suggested allowing repayment plans and setting a firm deadline for arrangement; if none agreed by that date, accounts would be placed on the tax roll.
The board voted 5-0 to remove the two paid accounts from the tax-roll list and instructed staff to work with affected account holders who spoke at the hearing to secure repayment arrangements; if an account holder did not agree to an arrangement by the specified deadline, the account will be placed on the tax roll. The board also directed staff, separately, to research standby-unit practices used by other jurisdictions and report back.
Why it matters: Placing unpaid utility charges on a property tax bill creates a lien that can lead to collection actions; the board balanced the maintenance-district need for revenues with an opportunity to negotiate repayment for property owners who appeared at the hearing.
Next steps: Public Works staff will offer repayment-plan options to those who requested them and will return with findings on standby-unit policy practices from other counties as requested by supervisors.
