 As Mayor Keith Snyder made his way around the room, asking aldermen
if they had items to present, it began to appear that the meeting
was going to go quickly, with little to discuss. That soon
changed as first Alderman Buzz Busby, then Alderwoman Melody
Anderson introduced some very serious issues for the city of
Lincoln.
A work-out on delinquent sewer bills? We don't think so.
To date, the city has sent out 20 letters to delinquent sewer
accounts, advising their water would be shut off soon for lack of
payment. In the first mailing of 10, the dollars represented came to
$28,900, and in the second mailing the total was $14,641.00.
Busby told the council the city clerk's office is now getting
several calls from folks who have received their water shut-off
notices, wanting to work out a payment plan on their delinquent
sewer bills.
He cited as an example, one person had called wanting to pay a
payment of $50 per month on the overdue amount. Busby said this one
person had a total obligation to the city of over $5,000. He said at
that rate it would take four years for the debt to be paid.
He said he wanted the council's opinion on the issue.
The first to speak was Alderman David Wilmert, who said these
people should secure a loan and pay their bill. Alderwoman Joni
Tibbs agreed, saying it wasn't up to the city to help them.
However, Anderson countered that many of the people who owe the
money to the city would not be able to get a loan. She said a
short-term payment plan of perhaps one year might be OK, but not a
term of four to five years.
Wilmert agreed with the thought of a short-term program but then
wondered if the city could help by knocking off some of the fees
that had been added due to the delinquency.
City attorney Bill Bates said these people had had plenty of
opportunities under city code to create an installment plan any time
they wanted to before they were sent the shut-off notices.
In the midst of this, Snyder brought up an additional issue. He
said that in October or November last year, a customer had contacted
the clerk's office and had established a payment plan for the
delinquent account. Snyder said the payment had been made in
November but not December, but then a double payment was to be made
in January.
The clerk's office has also received a few letters, one stating
the customer had been unable to make payments because of a loss of
work and a health condition. The letter stated the customer was soon
starting a new job and would be able to make monthly payments of
$100 in the future. A second customer wrote stating he or she would
be able to make payments of $150 per month.
Alderman David Armbrust asked about the fees that are added
monthly to the past-due bills, and Susan Gehlbach, city clerk, said
those had to be added according to city ordinance. The fee is $25
per month.
Tom O'Donohue said these customers have known they were behind,
and they've had opportunity to come in and make arrangements and
didn't. Now he is hesitant to give any more to these people. He
added that giving in to this would take away from the strength of
the program, and he didn't want to see that happen.
Alderwoman Stacy Bacon said she agreed completely.
Busby also noted the clerk's office is very short-staffed right
now, and dealing with payment plans would be time-consuming and
taxing on that office.
The group appeared to agree to what they called a "tough love"
approach. In other words, customers have lost their chance to work
out a payment plan, and now they have to pay up.
Snyder asked what to do about the person who said they had made
an agreement in November. Bates said he felt the city was obligated
to honor that, but at the same time, they broke their agreement when
they missed their December payment.
Snyder said in this particular case, he felt a new written
agreement stating they would pay the $100 and pay their current bill
as well would be the best idea.
Anderson asked if people would come in before they received their
shut-off notice, were they entitled to a payment agreement?
Bates said the city clerk has always had the ability to establish
a payment plan. At the same time, it was noted that the office needs
to have some parameters set, and the council needed to be the ones
to decide how the clerk should respond to such requests.
The question was then posed about people who are not really late:
Could they establish a pay plan?
Gehlbach said yes, they could. The city has always taken monthly
payments on current bills, plus they have a discount plan for those
who want to make an annual payment in advance.
Getting back to the delinquent accounts, O"Donohue restated he
was opposed to making any kind of agreement with anyone who has
already gotten their shut-off notices. Busby added to this, saying
he felt the council should just say no payments at all on delinquent
accounts.
Armbrust wondered if perhaps the city might be shooting itself in
the foot with this plan. He commented on smaller bills of $500
or so, where something might be better than nothing.
Bates also offered that the city can take a payment without
canceling the shut-off order.
In the end, Busby asked that the motion be part of the consent
agenda and that it would state the city will not accept payment
plans on delinquent sewer accounts.
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Fire and police departments have serious money issues
Anderson told the council the fire department and police
department have some serious money issues.
In the fire department, the older equipment they are using is
requiring more repair than the city can afford. Right now the
department is over budget on repairs, and if anything else goes
wrong, she sees nothing that can be done except park the broken
vehicle.
Anderson said it wasn't the fire department's fault that the
budget was busted. They are working with equipment that is older,
and as it continues to age, it falls apart.
On the police side, gas prices are hitting that line in their
budget, and once again, there is a question of what to do. The city
has no money to add to the budget, so the next solution is park a
squad car, thus reducing patrols in the city.
Chief Ken Greenslate said he had communicated the issues to his
officers, and they have established a temporary solution. However,
Wilmert also said it was in the best interest for the safety of the
city that the plans initiated not be discussed in the media.
O'Donohue asked for an ordinance authorizing the purchase of
property
The city is ready to authorize the purchase of a strip of
property along South Sangamon for the expansion of parking spaces in
the vicinity of the Blue Dog Inn.
The decision comes from a request from the owner of the Blue Dog
for help in the parking situation near his place of business. He
indicated to Snyder he wanted to expand his business, but the lack
of parking was an issue.
In discussing this over the last several weeks, the council has
determined that expanding parking in that area would benefit several
businesses along that block. Therefore, they have negotiated with
the owners of the property, Neal Tire out of Toledo, Ill., for the
purchase of a strip of land along the east side of the street.
With the purchase complete, that block of Sangamon will be
converted from parallel parking to diagonal parking and will nearly
double the number of parking spaces in the area.
Chuck Conzo, city treasurer, said in discussing this Tuesday
night that the city could use funds from an Illinois Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity revolving loan program to finance
the work, but in doing so, the owner of the Blue Dog would have to
submit financial information to DCEO, even though the city would be
using the money.
Snyder asked if instead of the revolving loan, money from the
general obligation bond could be used, and Bates also mentioned the
money could come from the infrastructure sales tax. It was agreed
the latter would be the best method of paying for the project.
1020 Broadway technically is now acceptable
In December, Pat Moos, a resident in the 1000 block of Broadway,
came to the council, seeking help with a run-down property next door
to his home. He said he and neighbors had tried to remedy the
situation with the homeowner, who has left the home abandoned and in
disrepair for years, but they have had no luck. He asked the council
if something could be done, and it was agreed that John Lebegue,
city building and safety officer, would increase his attention on
this property.
Lebegue at the time said he was well aware of the property and
the problems with it, but unfortunately it is like at least a dozen
other properties in the city, and there is little money to force
property owners to demolish such buildings.
On Tuesday night, Lebegue handed out a memo regarding the
property and advised the council they should expect to be hearing
from Moos again. He said the building is far from being something he
wants in the city of Lincoln, but technically it meets with safety
codes and there is little that can be done.
He did comment he had notified the property owner, Michael Drake,
and ordered repairs to the front porch. He said he cited to Drake
that should a fire occur in the building, firefighters would not be
able to safely enter by way of the porch; therefore, it had to be
repaired.
Lebegue also told the council the codes are not tough enough on
these issues, and he is working to make them stricter so that more
may be done about properties such as this one.
No meeting next week
Due to January being a month with five Mondays, there will be no
meeting of the Lincoln City Council next week. The council will meet
again on Feb. 6 for their first voting session of that month.
[By NILA SMITH]
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