Service agency asks board to waive June and July late fees

Jim Hanzalka of the Stansbury Park Service Agency asked the Stansbury Park Improvement District board on Aug. 19 to waive late fees charged on recent utility billings after mailed checks apparently were not posted on time. "What we'd like to do is just wipe the slate clean and then we'll start over with a new process," Hanzalka said, adding that staff will hand-deliver an upcoming payment to ensure a posted date.

District staff said they already issued a one-time reversal for some charges and explained the billing system posts on a per-meter basis, which can create confusing running balances. Staff noted the system’s policy has typically allowed a single late-fee reversal as a courtesy; packet material referenced small residual balances (the packet shows a $14.80 line item while another staff remark referenced $1,480 during discussion), a discrepancy board members raised during the hearing. Board members also questioned whether repeated reversals would set an undesirable precedent and emphasized the community cost of lost service-agency funds.

After extended discussion about ACH timeouts, postage timing and how the computer posts late fees, the board deferred a final decision until a board member who was absent (referred to as Brock) could attend. The Chair said the accounts were currently zeroed and staff agreed to verify that no new late fees post while the matter is pending; Hanzalka said the agency will walk a check over for its August payment to avoid timing issues. No formal reimbursement or additional credit was approved at the meeting.