DeKalb commissioners debate means‑tested water‑bill amnesty after residents recount crippling bills; vote deferred

DeKalb County commissioners heard emotional public testimony June 16 about long‑standing water bills and discussed a resolution requesting a means‑tested water‑bill amnesty program and a targeted review of uncollectible debt in blighted condominium communities. Committee members deferred the resolution for continued work, scheduling further consideration for July.

Committee Chair Commissioner Ted Terry opened public comment and then invited residents to speak. Business owner Kaye Park described what she said is a water bill “over $250,000” for a small retail complex on Buford Highway and the heavy pressure that creates for her tenants and family. Simone Correa said she bought a home in February and turned off the main water supply after pipes burst; she said she “has been without water for 3 months” and that county staff told her only to pay an average bill while the department investigated. Gregory Jones said his household was told it owed “$62,000” and that, even after a dispute, he was asked to pay $4,000 immediately; he said his son relies on a ventilator and a shutoff would be life‑threatening. Commissioners also received a written statement from the family of Iso and Linda Harry saying crews had shut off their water and that the couple had been told they faced a past due balance “over $30,000.”

Those public comments were followed by a presentation from David Wheaton of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on amnesty programs used elsewhere. Wheaton highlighted Chicago’s Utility Billing Relief (UBR) program, describing it as an income‑based program that (1) reduces rates for eligible customers, (2) halts late penalties and collections while participants remain current, and (3) offers debt forgiveness after successful completion of the required enrollment period. Wheaton said that, as of December 2024, Chicago had enrolled tens of thousands of households and that “90 percent of the participants completed the program successfully and achieved debt forgiveness.” He also said the average forgiven amount across participants was in the low‑thousands.

Commissioners and administration officials discussed timing and program design. Commissioner Shakira Johnson said the amnesty concept had been discussed previously as part of a suite of policies designed to implement protections included in an urging resolution the board passed in February. The administration said it supports the concept and would work with community partners, including the Urban League, to administer an office of customer advocacy and to vet eligibility. The county’s COO said negotiations with a proposed customer‑advocate provider would continue in the coming weeks; the board was told the county had not committed to a blanket halt on shutoffs but that staff intended to prioritize communication and mediation once the customer advocate is operational.

Officials flagged several constraints and next steps. The committee heard that the February urging resolution did not explicitly authorize an amnesty program and that the law department is reviewing what state law permits with respect to forgiving public utility debt. Commissioners asked for clearer fiscal parameters: independent auditors recently reported that county accounts include large “doubtful receivables,” and staff said one analysis showed roughly $104 million in unpaid watershed receivables while a separate audited figure for doubtful receivables exceeded $214 million as of Dec. 31, 2023. The administration also told commissioners that $5 million in ARP funds previously set aside for plumbing repairs had been committed or spent and that, as of May, no new plumbing‑repair funds remained available to new applicants.

The committee acted on two agenda items related to watershed governance and amnesty. Earlier it deferred a resolution to amend the enabling legislation for the Watershed Customer Service and Billing Advisory Group (to consider a merger with a separate resident advisory board) for 30 days. On the amnesty resolution (item 2025‑0814), commissioners agreed to defer further action to the July meeting cycle so staff and partners could refine a detailed implementation plan and provide requested legal and fiscal analyses.

Why this matters: Commissioners and county officials said they want income‑based relief and stronger customer advocacy to prevent shutoffs for medically vulnerable residents and to bring more residents into consistent, affordable payment plans. Residents described immediate harms — long unpaid balances, threats of shutoffs, and health impacts — that speakers said argued for an amnesty structure combined with income‑based rates and better notice and outreach.

Next steps: The committee asked the administration for a revised implementation timeline and fiscal estimate, requested the independent auditor’s detailed delinquency list, and asked the law department to report on legal limits to debt forgiveness. The committee also requested additional customer‑facing outreach and materials ahead of a July 1 rate increase that will begin the first 10 percent step in a planned rate adjustment.

Votes and formal actions at the meeting: The committee approved the June 10 committee minutes (motion made and seconded; no individual mover/second named on the record; motion carried). The committee deferred item 2025‑0739 (amending the watershed advisory group enabling legislation) for 30 days (motion carried). The committee deferred the amnesty resolution (item 2025‑0814) for further work and requested return in the July meeting cycle (motion carried unanimously).