The request of the Pretty Lake Conservancy District to waive a late payment fee for a sewer bill ended with Mayor Mark Senter having to cast his vote on a tie vote.
Monday night Steve Carter from Carter Dillon Umbaugh attended the meeting on behalf of the Conservancy District. Carter said his firm was retained about 5 months ago to assist the district with some bookkeeping and accounting work.
Implementing new procedures that are more in compliant with the spirit of the internal control procedures has delayed payment being made in a timely fashion.
Carter said the utility bill is sent to the treasurer who forwards them on to the accounting agency. He then gets the bill approved by the board president and then back to the treasurer to sign before being retuned back to the city took longer than required to be paid. Carter said circumstances such as the treasurer being out of town, then his untimely efforts to get the president’s signature due to being at a conference caused the utility bill to be paid late.
He asked for the City Council’s consideration to waive the 10% penalty of $196.93 basically as a courtesy to another governmental agency. He did say he would suggest to the conservancy district doing a ACH transfer.
Council members were concerned that other customers have requested waivers and typically they don’t get approved.
A motion was made to waive the penalty and the vote was 3 to 3 with Shawn Grobe being absent. Since there was a tie Mayor Senter had to break the tie and he voted no to the waiver request.
