At its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, April 13, 2020, the Brentwood City Commission voted to approve a resolution that will waive fees for overdue Brentwood Water and Sewer bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The approval of Resolution 2020-35 authorizes a temporary modification to the City’s municipal code regarding utility billing.
Accounts not paid in full by the due date are usually assessed a 10% late fee and disconnection of service. Due to the severe economic hardships on residents and businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most utility providers are relaxing billing policies for past due accounts. Brentwood Water Services Director Chris Milton said, “as a way to provide a small measure of relief for Brentwood Water and Sewer customers who may be adversely impacted by the current economic circumstances, staff recommended a formal City Commission authorization to waive the ten percent penalty for late payments for bills due in the months of March, April, and May.” Staff also recommended to suspend service disconnections during the same three-month period.
The resolution passed unanimously by the seven-member commission who held its meeting electronically pursuant to Governor’s Executive Order No. 16, for the best interest of the public health, safety, and welfare of the public. Commissioner Susannah Macmillan said, “We are glad that Brentwood is in a financial position to be able to provide a small measure of relief for our residents and businesses during this unprecedented time.”
City Manager Kirk Bednar explained that the exact dollar amount of lost revenue to the Water and Sewer Fund is impossible to estimate. “Based on prior monthly averages, we estimate the loss to be in the $30,000 range, however, given the severity of this economic situation, the amount could be higher due to more accounts with late payments than normal,” said Bednar.
During this time to limit exposure to money and check processing for employees, the City of Brentwood encourages you to sign up for online bill pay.
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