In a typical month, Iolans who are past due with their utility bills would incur late fees, as well as additional charges if their services are disconnected for non-payment.
But this isn’t your typical month.
With a state order in place prohibiting utility suppliers from disconnecting service due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Iola City Council members agreed to waive, temporarily, the additional fees assessed to past-due accounts.
However, Council members noted those utility bills still must be paid.
“This isn’t a free-for-all,” Councilwoman Nancy Ford said.
The Council voted, 6-2, to waive the penalties while the emergency order remains in place, with Carl Slaugh and Ron Ballard opposed.
Ford reiterated that those accounts would face disconnection once the emergency order is lifted.
“This is for people who are being affected by COVID-19,” Ford said, “for those who have lost jobs, been laid off, those who have had something happen. If you still have your income, you still need to pay your bill. … It’s not meant to be ‘Oh, I just won’t pay my bill.’ This is not a giveaway.
“For those that are struggling, those stimulus checks are going to be coming out,” Ford continued. “That’s something to think about. You are getting free money. Make sure you use that money wisely. If you’re going to be off work, put that money away so that you can pay your bill. Catch up on your utilities if you’re behind when you get that stimulus money. I just want to make sure everybody is on the same page with that.”
Ballard shared her concerns.
“When we start thinking about things moving forward, we can expect this to last for at least another month,” Ballard said. “They’re not going to use a stimulus check to pay a bill that does not have to be paid.”
Therein lies his concern.
For those whose average monthly bill is about $200, they’ll be in more dire straits if their bill balloons to $600 after a few months and nothing has been paid. “We’re setting them up for failure,” Ballard said.
“We are running a business,” he continued, noting the city still incurs costs each month to supply water, gas and electricity. “This is an anomaly in the world, but we still have to pay our bills.”
Councilman Nickolas Kinder suggested if the emergency order is extended over several months, the city explore additional alternatives, such as allowing past-due accounts to be brought back into balance via installment plans.
“In terms of when the governor’s order is lifted, there are people who are legitimately going to be out of work,” he said. “They’re going to need extra time to catch back up. This is a humanitarian way to handle it.”
City Clerk Roxanne Hutton told Council members the city’s list of delinquent accounts rose to 68 last week, a substantially higher number than normal.
She was uncertain if those higher numbers were because residents were dealing with lost income, or because they know their utilities cannot be disconnected.
Kinder suggested the Council delay a vote on waiving the penalties until the city gets a better feel for how many residents are being adversely affected.
