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Resident says licensing denials and a $1,000 water bill led to citations and financial distress
Summary
Bill Bush told the council he was denied business licenses, that a renter received an abrupt $1,000 water bill after two months of about $65, and that subsequent citations have placed him at risk of bankruptcy; he asked the council for relief, including interest in selling the property or changing city limits.
During the public-comment period, Bill Bush identified himself as a lifelong local resident and owner of property near Buchanan Street and said he has been unable to obtain business licenses from the city. He described a renter’s water bills that were roughly $65 for two months and then jumped to about $1,000, and said his attempts to have the water department allow payment plans or adjustments were unsuccessful.
Bush said that after he questioned the bills and the department’s response, he began receiving citations and that a lawyer later told him he faced 24 criminal citations; he described the situation as financially crippling and said he might have to sell the property or asked the council to “vote me out of the city limits” as an immediate remedy. He said the stress has harmed his sleep and financial stability.
A council member summarized the complaint as primarily about cleanup and citations rather than a water-billing policy problem. No formal action or staff response was recorded during the meeting beyond that clarification; the council moved on to the next agenda items.
