Residents press Chester council over alleged 401(k) mispayment, hospital access and rental fees
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Summary
During public comment at the Jan. 5 reorganization meeting, a resident alleged the city paid the wrong 401(k) beneficiary and threatened legal action; others urged the NAACP and council to pursue restoring local hospital services and asked for a town hall on rental registration fees and inspections.
Chester — Several public commenters used the Jan. 5 council reorganization meeting to press officials on distinct concerns: an alleged payroll/beneficiary error, the absence of local hospital services, and landlord frustration over rental registration fees.
Patrice Hollis told the council she is "putting the city on notice" and alleged the city committed a fiduciary error by paying the wrong recipient of the "Ethel Fire Estate 401(k) plan," asking the city to recover funds from the incorrect recipient and warning she may add the city to litigation or media if not resolved. The controller responded that the matter is with the controller's office and advised the family to contact the solicitor's office if they wish to pursue legal action.
Elizabeth Williams, speaking with the NAACP present, said Chester is a "healthcare desert" and urged council to work with the NAACP on bringing hospital services back to the city, noting that residents are traveling to other hospitals and facing higher costs and logistical burdens.
A representative of landlord and community interests requested a town hall to discuss recent enforcement tied to the city's 2023 rental registration program, citing a $25 e-collect business tax registration and a recurring $200 inspection enforcement and asking for clearer guidance on how the program will affect family homes and small landlords. Council members acknowledged landlord concerns, explained that the rental registration stems from a 2023 ordinance intended to track rental properties and reinstate regular inspections (previously an annual inspection program), and committed to arranging further meetings with landlords and city staff.
Council members emphasized the safety rationale for inspections — citing aging housing stock and hazards such as electrical, plumbing and lead issues — and said staff will follow up on public comment items with the appropriate departments.
The council closed the meeting after these public comments and brief staff reports.
