Everett staff to return in March with proposed tweaks to new utility-billing ordinance

Public Works staff told the Parks and Built Environment Council Committee on Feb. 11 that they are reviewing a utility-billing ordinance the council passed in December and plan to return March 11 with any proposed changes. The department also outlined several operational changes intended to make bill payment easier for customers.

Ryan Sass, a Public Works representative, said staff enabled a "pay later" scheduling function that lets customers set a future payment without enrolling in autopay. He said the department is working with its current payment processor to enable direct ACH transfers as an alternative to check payments and is preparing an RFP to replace the city's online payment portal so customers can pay by ACH, receive free text and email notices, and avoid the current $5 notice charge.

Council members raised logistics and timing questions. The ordinance passed in December included a 90-day enactment window; staff estimated an effective date around March 27 if readings follow the proposed schedule. Committee members discussed holding the first reading on March 11 (concurrent with a full-council briefing) and completing the second and third readings in subsequent weeks so any final changes would be adopted before the stated enactment window. Staff noted that implementation of a new payments platform will require extensive testing and is likely to take several months.

No formal motion or vote was taken in committee. Chair opened the floor for suggestions on outreach to newly seated council members and asked staff to brief the full council concurrently with the first reading if feasible. The committee expressed broad support for the billing improvements and requested staff return with a detailed ordinance proposal and implementation timeline on March 11.