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Council orders review after finding staff practice may differ from written water/sewer/garbage policy
Summary
Councilors questioned whether the utility department has been charging sewer and sanitation after water shutoffs contrary to written policy; the law director and city manager agreed to bring the written policy for review at the next meeting and staff will provide delinquent-account reports.
Councilors engaged in a prolonged discussion about utility billing practices after reports that some accounts continued to be charged sewer and sanitation fees even after water service was shut off. Councilor Walker asked for a list of delinquent accounts and argued that attaching garbage pickup to sewer charges could keep trash pickup in place for households paying sewer. Councilor Mayo and others said departmental practice appears to differ from the written policy and that some residents have been charged despite accounts being shut off.
Law Director Costa Mastros and City Manager Michael Johnson advised that the council can legislate changes but first asked to review the written policy. Council directed staff to provide the water delinquency report (including inactive accounts that still owe money) and to bring the written policy to the next meeting so council can determine whether departmental practice needs formal correction or ordinance change.
