Goodrich-Residents delinquent on their sewer bills will now be notified by the village three months after their bill was due following a 3-1 council vote on Feb. 8.
The notices will go out three months after bills are delinquent, rather than six months, as the have done in the past.
If the bills go unpaid pay, the charge in addition to a small fine is then placed on their tax bill as a lein.
Gasper Serra, who has been a village resident for more than 20 years, was outraged at the decision.
‘This is placing a lien on residents? homes,? he said. ‘Have a little sympathy for people’if the village is hurting that much for money, seek other revenue sources. There are thousands of people, including many right in the village, out of work. I have neighbors that have been out of work for more than two years. They want to work, but just can’t find anything. They just can’t pay right now.?
Serra called the resolution ridiculous.
‘Placing a lien on the resident’s property or home creates a legal mess for everyone, including the Village of Goodrich. Is the Village of Goodrich in such a financial crisis that this administration is willing to sacrifice the one thing that is sacred to all residents’their homes??
Village President Ed York said the village is not giving any additional penalty, rather just a warning.
‘I understand the economy is bad. It’s not my responsibility to pay others? bills,? he said.
‘The problem has nothing to do with the economy’not paying the sewer bill has been going on for a long time. You can blame any and everything on the economy. Consider, too, that once a lien is put on the taxes, it’s turned over to the county for collection. The village is then reimbursed for that amount’the resident then owes the county.?
York said about $30,000 in tax dollars are used to pay unpaid sewer bills on a continual basis. The average sewer bill for each of the more than 500 village users is $102 per quarter.
There are no additional fees, rather just a 90-day notice, added York.
‘It’s not like we can go out and shut off the sewer service,? said York.
‘The only way is to dig up the line and disconnect’that would require a contractor to reconnect. It’s just very costly. It’s not like shutting off your cable television.?