The Holts Summit Board of Aldermen discussed potential amendments to the city's sewer billing policy at the board's Monday night work session. A landlord in Holts Summit approached the Board of Aldermen a couple months ago with a concern regarding the city's current sewer billing policy. The landlord told the board he thinks the city puts too much responsibility for sewer bills on the landlord when it should be the tenant's responsibility. The city has heard similar concerns from a handful of landlords. However, City Administrator Brian Crane said the sewer billing policy is not a huge issue in Holts Summit.
During the Board of Aldermen's Monday night work session, Crane and Holts Summit Sewer Superintendent Keith Edwards talked through the city's current sewer billing policy as well as changes to for the board to consider.
The current sewer billing policy for the city:
•Does not require a sewer deposit for services,
•Sets the sewer bill in the landlord or property owner's name,
•Allows the landlord or property owner to either pay the bill or give it to the tenant to pay,
•Allows tenant billing on multifamily property if the property is sub metered by the water district. If, however, the property only has one meter, then billing is sent to the landlord/property owner.
Crane said the city is less likely to have bad debt with its current policy.
"Our current policy provides us with the least amount of risk," Crane said to the board at its Monday night work session.
Crane presented other sewer policy options to the Board. The option included:
•Requiring sewer applications from either the tenant or the landlord/property owner,
•A required deposit of $50 charged either at sign up or on the first bill,
•The deposit could be refundable and transferable,
•If the bill isn't paid, the property would be disconnected. The deposit would go towards the outstanding balance and the remaining balance will be a lien on the property until payment is received,
•If multifamily property that is sub metered by the water district, then tenant billing would be allowed. If property is on one meter, then billing would be sent to the landlord/property owner.
Edwards said Jefferson City has residents put a deposit on the first month's bill after filling out a form at Callaway Water District One, the same water district for Holts Summit. Callaway Water District One then faxes Jefferson City the forms. Jefferson City, Edwards said, has not had a lot of issues with customer non-payment.
Crane said Monday night that the landlord-tenant relationship is what's driving this discussion. Holts Summit Mayor Lucas Fitzpatrick said when it comes to the sewer billing policy, the city needs to consider the different options.
"Where is the medium ground (for the city and landlords)?" Fitzpatrick said Monday night.
Right now, Crane said he and Edwards do not have a recommendation for the board regarding changes to the sewer billing policy. He said they were just wanting to provide the board with what information they have found in their research thus far.