Saint Helena council adopts ordinance to move to monthly utility billing; delays decision on late fees

The Saint Helena City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance to change the city’s utility billing from a bimonthly schedule to monthly billing and shorten the payment window from 30 days to 21 days, while delaying a permanent decision about late penalties.

Council members said the change is intended to smooth a transition to monthly billing and align the new schedule with the rate changes planned this summer. The ordinance was adopted by unanimous roll-call vote (Councilmember Barrick, Vice Mayor Deasy, Councilmember Spatarotto and Mayor Doreen all voting yes).

Finance staff told the council the plan would send customers their last bimonthly bill in July for May–June usage; the first monthly bill would be mailed in August for July service. Finance Manager Martin Beltran said staff expects “a 2-month bill in July and the first monthly bill in August” as part of the transition.

The ordinance also included a staff recommendation to eliminate late penalties and interest on delinquent utility accounts to ease the switch from bimonthly to monthly billing. That recommendation attracted public comment and council debate.

Chris Warner, a resident who spoke during the discussion, said he opposed permanently removing late fees and called them an important business practice. “I object to that. I’m a wealthy customer… I just think this was an ill conceived idea,” Warner said. Warner urged preservation of past-due revenues that staff estimates at roughly $66,000 a year.

City staff, represented by Director Mandy Kellogg, told the council staff considered equity and administrative workload. Kellogg said the transition will temporarily create a heavier billing burden for customers because multiple billing periods will be billed within a short window. She also said the city already offers hardship agreements that allow customers to spread past-due amounts over 12 months without assessed fees while on the plan.

Council members asked for compromise options. Several members suggested extending the time before penalties are assessed (for example, moving to a 60-day assessment window) so customers would have more time during the conversion. City Attorney Walsh advised that making a significant textual change at second reading would require reintroducing the ordinance, so council could not change penalty language at this meeting without restarting the public-notice process.

To avoid delaying the billing and the rate changes planned for July, the council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance as written and directed staff to return with an ordinance or other item that would reinstate penalties under terms the council wants. That motion was moved and seconded during the meeting and passed on a 4–0 roll call.

What happens next: Staff said implementation could be delayed if additional legal notice is required; staff had planned to implement July 1 but noted the calendar and noticing requirements make August the earliest practical start date for some changes. The council’s direction means penalties will remain suspended for the brief transition; staff will return with timing and proposed penalty parameters for the council to consider at a later date.

Quotes in context: “Utility customers will receive their last bimonthly utility bill in July… and then they will receive their first monthly bill in August for their July use,” Finance Manager Martin Beltran said during the meeting.

“The equity issue… is not just wealthy people who would be benefiting from that,” Director Mandy Kellogg said in response to public comment and council questions, noting the city’s hardship agreement option.

Ending: The council’s action moves the city to monthly utility billing and shortens the payment window while deferring a final policy determination on assessing late penalties. Staff will return with ordinance language and implementation timing that reflects the council’s direction and legal notice requirements.