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Resident praises City Hall staff, renews suggestion to add voluntary water-bill "round-up" program
Summary
During public comment Feb. 5, a resident praised City Hall front-desk staff for helpful service and another speaker renewed a 2018 proposal to add a voluntary 'round-up' option on water bills to fund assistance for customers who need help paying their bills; commissioners noted existing discount programs.
Public comment at the Feb. 5 meeting included praise for City Hall staff and a renewed suggestion to create a voluntary "round-up" program on water bills to build a fund for residents who need help paying bills.
A speaker commended front-desk staff for assisting residents and urged patience from visitors so staff can help each person effectively. Another commenter recalled a proposal first raised in 2018 to allow customers to round their water bill up to the nearest dollar (or another increment) and place the difference into a fund to assist customers with payment problems.
Commissioners and staff responded by noting existing discounting and low-income assistance options for utility customers and suggested staff follow up to determine what is on the books and whether a round-up or similar program could be implemented.
Why it matters: A round-up program could create a local, voluntary assistance fund for residents struggling with utility bills; commissioners indicated interest in exploring existing programs and outreach to help residents access discounts.
Next steps: Staff suggested follow-up meetings to review existing discount programs and options for establishing additional assistance mechanisms.
