Bellevue is about to get tough on residents who are past due on payments for city water and services.
Some of the bills have not been paid for years, says City Council Chair Chris Koch.
City Clerk Dee Barton said the city is owed $90,940 in past-due water and sewer bills. As foreclosures mount during the recession, city officials are bracing for more unpaid bills, which will soon affect the city's ability to pay for a new $6 million wastewater treatment facility scheduled to go into operation this spring.
The City Council voted Thursday to write an ordinance calling for property liens against anyone more than 90 days past due on their bills for sewer and water services. The decision followed City Attorney Rick Allington's advice not to wait for further complications due to foreclosures.
"You should take overdue accounts and put liens on them now," Allington said.
He said the city could recoup the unpaid bills when the property is resold.
City Planning Director Craig Eckles said one home in town had been abandoned following foreclosure. He said water was running out the door of the house after water pipes broke due to freezing.
Eckles tried to contact the lender in Boise now in possession of the property to warn it of property damage.
"They just didn't seem to care," Eckles said. "With the number of foreclosures coming, there are going to be some pretty massive bills."
Bellevue has a water shutoff policy for bills over 60 days past due, but the city is unable to shut off water lines in winter due to the frozen ground.
Water and sewer rates, totaling $84, are charged to any to lot in the city for which services are available. Barton said some city lots had mobile home on them that have recently been removed.
"It seems strange to be billing people who don't even have a house there," Allington said.
In other Bellevue news:
· The quarterly treasury report indicates general fund revenue down 15 percent from last year.
· Local engineering firm Galena Engineering signed an agreement with the city in anticipation of future work.
"Thank you very much," Galena representative Mike Chaote said. "It is a big deal for us. We are hurting for work."
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
