City working to collect delinquent utility accounts
The City of Marion is carrying somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000 in delinquent utility payments on its books.
That's an amount the city is trying to reduce, according to Becky Makovec, utility billing clerk.
"Some of those bills go back to 1999," Makovec reported to city commissioners during their Dec. 23 meeting. "Those delinquencies always are on the computer until they're paid."
In the majority of cases, the delinquent accounts belong to former customers who just left, Makovec said.
"We've collected some on people who still live here," Makovec said. She noted City Attorney Dan Baldwin is working on the collection of accounts.
Commissioners approved the city's utility billing report from the period January through November 2002. Beginning immediately, the commission will approve utility billing reports monthly, as per the request of the city's auditor.
State budget cuts
The City of Marion won't be impacted as hard as previously thought by Governor Bill Graves' budget cuts. However, it's still a significant loss, said City Administrator Dave Mayfield.
"We received a letter from the auditors detailing the total known impact of the governor withholding that $48 million," Mayfield said.
Several weeks ago, Graves announced he was cutting $48 million to cities and counties in demand transfer payments.
Initially, Mayfield said there was no way of knowing how deep the cut would go. He feared the city could lose as much as $100,000, although he also said the amount may only be half that, around $50,000.
Now, it appears the $50,000 figure is more accurate.
Mayfield said auditors informed him the city will not receive $22,440 from the state for the first half of 2003. However, if the state elects to withhold the second half payment for 2003, the city will experience a total potential loss of $43,254, Mayfield said.
Much of that impact comes within the special city-county highway fund. However, as it turns out only 10 percent of the fund will be reduced, which minimizes the impact to cities and counties.
"We didn't get impacted real hard in that one," Mayfield said.
New signs
After listening to a presentation from Susan Cooper, economic development director, the commission gave the nod to new signs which will be erected at Batt Industrial park and the business park.
The industrial park and business park signs note that land is available, and include a city contact number.
Currently, the city leases signs from a private company. Cooper said the sign committee has discussed the possibility of purchasing those signs outright from the company, taking on maintenance and other responsibilities.
"These new signs will have a common appearance that will make them easily recognizable as a Marion sign," Cooper said.
The bold, red and blue signs will promote Marion as the town between two lakes and will encourage visitors to visit Marion.
In other matters:
— Approved a transfer from general administration to bond and interest in the amount of $84,945, an amount that is allowed by the budget. The transfer will allow for the payment on the Industrial Park Bond due by March 1.
— Approved a transfer from the electric utility to the capital improvement fund in the amount of $10,000. The transfer is for 10 percent matching funds for the $100,000 airport improvement grant. The funds are allowed by the 2002 budget and makes the funds available for July 1 when the grant will be awarded to the city, Mayfield told the commission.
— Approved a transfer from the electrical utility fund to the capital improvement fund in the amount of $5,000. This will be the final payment due for the Depot Project (Marion City Library), which will be completed in the spring of 2003.
"$4,500 will be reimbursed by the state," Mayfield said. "That final payment will be made after landscaping is completed."
— Approved warrants amounting to $8,774.85.
— Heard from Mayfield he had sent a letter to David Brazil, Marion County transfer station manager. Mayfield said he would like to work with Brazil in working out a specific route to be used in transporting solid waste out of town. The county-owned transfer station is located in Marion. Mayfield said he and Brazil would be working on the route together.
— Heard from Harvey Sanders, public works director, that city crews had been trimming trees, fixing holes in streets caused by water leaks, and maintaining the sewer and lift station. Also, new signage had been installed in Central Park which prohibits skateboarding, roller blading, fishing, and swimming.
— Heard from librarian Janet Marler that traffic had increased at the Marion City Library as the weather turned worse, and staff had played host to 45 third graders on Dec. 17.
She also said the library was seeking unused video cassette tapes people were no longer watching. The library loans out these items. Marler said so far the library had received a "really good response."
— Heard from City Clerk Linda Holub that 243 people had signed up for the residential light credit. The credit is available for individuals hanging Christmas lights.
— Met in a 15-minute executive session to discuss personnel. No action was taken following the session.
