Council presses staff for plan to collect more than $10 million in utility arrears

Mayor Samuel Payer presided as budget manager Gary Cozier told the council the city has “a little over $10,000,000” in utility accounts receivable, a figure several council members said demands immediate action. “If we could collect that $10,000,000 we wouldn't have to gouge our taxpayers who pay their utility bills,” Councilman Kupfer said, later estimating combined outstanding receivables above $25,000,000 across categories.

Cozier walked through receivables across funds and said the most recent reconciliation work and KPI tracking show some revenue lines ahead of budget but that delinquencies remain concentrated in personal property and utilities. “the utility accounts receivable, is a little over $10,000,000,” Cozier said during his presentation.

City Manager Altman responded that staff would prepare a set of proposals for council review, including more aggressive use of outside collection agents and a reexamination of shutting off water service in appropriate circumstances. “Can I come back to council with some proposals on how to address collections and moving forward to address these numbers and get the numbers down?” Altman asked; council directed staff to return with options at the May work session.

Council discussion touched on legal limits and practical enforcement steps. Council members pressed for timelines and data-driven next steps — for example, a report on the last tax foreclosure sale and a plan for accounts that go stale. Altman said staff would include foreclosure timing, collection-agency referral plans, and other tools in the follow-up report.