Auburn settles storm water fees for residents

Storm Water Utility Coordinator Iris Slaton recommended to the mayor and council that two subsections of the ordinance on storm water utility fees be deleted and replaced with another ordinance.

The sections include enforcement methods and inspections and storm water user fee charge billing, delinquencies, collections and adjustments.

The amendment is due to confusion and the fact that this is the first year for the storm water utility fees, liens should be held back for the remainder of 2011.

Apparently in January, the city began assessing a storm water utility fee under a Federal mandate. According to the recommendation, Capitol Software mailed bills out to citizens leaving off the logo for “Storm Water Utility Fee” in the upper left corner. Numerous calls came into City Hall and the Storm Water office, inquiring what the bill was for and why it had to be paid. Several citizens were very concerned due to the word “lien” place on the bill, according to the recommendation.