Most utility bills paid on time, despite suspension of fees

Projects scheduled for this year, including the sidewalk program and road projects funded by the Ohio Public Works Commission, will start in 2021 instead in order to be cautious about available funding, Costilow said.

Although late fees and collection of utilities payments have been suspended in the city of Amherst, Mayor Mark Costilow said the utilities department still has received an average number of utility bill payments over the past two months.

The city will not issue any fees, including late and nonpayment fees, through bills dated through July 2020 and will not shut off utilities due to lack of payments.

Most people pay

Costilow said during a March 27 City Council meeting, that 88 percent of customers in the city paid their bills on time that month.

“That’s actually pretty typical,” he said during the meeting. “The average would be about 90 percent.”

So far, Costilow said the city has not assessed $28,000 in late fees, rounding out to about $14,000 of fees a month.

Even turn-around of those who receive shut-off notices is high, with 90 percent of those issued notices paying their bills, he said.

Still, he said come July, there may be some customers who will be seven months behind on payments.

“We’ll work through that when we get there,” Costilow said.

Precautions in place

The city is following precautionary measures in light of the novel coronavirus, and intends to take Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s lead on reopening businesses and other services, Costilow said.

“The city has adopted precautionary measures to keep our employees and the public safe,” he said. “Some of those measures have been and continue to be (that) all city buildings at this time are planned to remain open for services.

“But we are still going to be closed to the public until at least May 15.”

Creative scheduling

City staff has worked adaptive schedules, some from home on call, which the city will have in place for at least the next week.

Projects scheduled for this year, including the sidewalk program and road projects funded by the Ohio Public Works Commission, will start in 2021 instead in order to be cautious about available funding, Costilow said.

However, those who still wish to go ahead with fixing their sidewalks still can contact the building inspector to get their portion under construction this year.

Although these new staff schedules and project suspensions are in place, Costilow said city services are being delivered.

“No service is suffering,” he said. “We’re providing all the typical services as usual.”