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Residents Urge Action on Unpaid Utility Write‑Offs; Measure L Committee Seeks Reporting Fixes
Summary
Two residents told the council unpaid utility write-offs remain a longstanding problem and asked the city to act; Measure L Committee chair requested the council agendize ordinance amendments to correct Measure L reporting of FTEs and program impacts.
Two members of the public used the non‑agenda public comment period to press the council on financial accountability and Measure L reporting.
Resident John Slaughterback told the council he had reviewed local records and cited cumulative unpaid utility write-offs he said totaled roughly $2.4 million and that write-offs have continued year after year. "These losses continue year after year," Slaughterback said, urging the incoming city manager to prioritize collection and to stop covering write-offs through rate increases for paying customers.
Slaughterback provided a historical list of write-offs by fiscal year and said some individual accounts reached sizable unpaid balances. He urged the city to strengthen collection efforts and not simply pass costs onto other ratepayers.
Following that, John Beckman, chairman of the Measure L Committee, asked council to place an item on a future agenda to consider amendments to the ordinance that created the Measure L Committee. Beckman said the current Measure L report presents a misleading account of full‑time equivalent positions (FTEs) added since the measure’s passage and requested authority to present an amended reporting approach to the council.
Councilmembers responded that staff could provide an update on the city's debt collection and write‑off process, and discussed scheduling a discussion of the Measure L ordinance amendments at a future meeting (members discussed January 28 and the first council meeting in February as potential options, subject to calendar conflicts).
