Staff report
Rutland City started shutting off water and sewer for delinquent payers in June and July for the first time since 2009.
City Treasurer Mary Markowksi sent 25 letters to homeowners in May, notifying people that water will be shut off at the end of the month if they don’t pay their past bills or come up with a payment agreement.
The 25 homeowners accounted for 40% of the total owed to the city. The highest amount owed from a singular resident was about $17,000, Markowski said in a phone interview.
Markowski started shutting off water in two rounds in June and July.
In round one, which started in June, just four homes were shut off after seven people established payment agreements with the city and 14 paid their dues in full.
“We really tried every avenue to reach out,” Markowski said at the Board of Aldermen meeting on Aug. 21, explaining the four properties were likely vacant.
Two homes were shut off in July after 24 people received warning letters.
“I’m pretty pleased with how that has worked,” Markowski said.
Collection for both water and sewer bills has been an ongoing issue. There were around 400 delinquent homeowners, totaling about $458,000 owed to the city before the shutoff notifications, Markowski said.
This was the first time in Markowski’s tenure that the city resorted to water and sewer shutoffs.
Markwoski said city staff were busy making payment agreements.
If the homeowners break their payment agreement, their water and sewer could be turned off immediately.
