Dickinson finances: commissioners approve $18,750 in mowing liens, $9,281.13 bad-debt discharge; general fund at $11.7M

The Dickinson City Commission on Oct. 21 approved staff recommendations to assess unpaid mowing charges totaling $18,750 to property and to write off $9,281.13 in non-utility accounts receivable as bad debt.

Deputy City Administrator Carlson told commissioners the mowing charges arise when property owners do not maintain vegetation and the city contracts the work; unpaid fees are pursued for up to two years and, after in-house collection efforts and an attorney letter, staff recommended sending the unpaid mowing fees to the Stark County Auditor for property assessment. Carlson said the $9,281.13 in non-utility debts stemmed from two accidents in 2023 where collection efforts were exhausted.

Carlson explained the city first pursues insurance and direct contact with customers, then uses an attorney letter as a final in-house step. On questioning from commissioners about using outside collection agencies, Carlson said external agencies typically collect about 40% in comparable cases and the city often handles its own skip traces and insurer contacts.

In the monthly financial report that followed, Deputy Finance Director Katie Greenwood reported the general fund balance at about $11.7 million and noted the city’s year-to-date expenses sit at about 67% of budget through the third quarter (the target at quarter end is 75%). Greenwood highlighted September receipts of $489,000 from the 1% sales tax and $245,000 from the 0.5% sales tax; she also reported a $1.9 million oil-impact payment in September — the largest single monthly payment in the last seven years — and said October’s payment of about $1.2 million reduces the year-to-date oil-impact average and could result in an overall shortfall relative to earlier projections.

Commissioners approved the AR recommendations and accepted the monthly financial report on unanimous votes. No public comments were recorded on these items.