Jackson may waive delinquent fines for utilities bills

The Jackson Board of Aldermen will vote later this month whether to waive three months’ worth of penalties for late utility payments for Jackson residents who are facing economic hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a study session Monday night, Jackson city administrator Jim Roach said the city staff will present a formal proposal to waive utility penalties for the March, April and May billing periods. In addition, he said the city will postpone any utility cutoffs until at least June.

“I’m not suggesting we waive the bills, only the penalties,” Roach said. “It would be a nice gesture.”

By doing so, the city would forgive penalty amounts of $10,416 for the month of March, $13,905 from the April billing cycle and an estimated $15,000 worth of penalties for this month.

“For those who are haven’t received their stimulus checks yet, hopefully they’ll come in and pay their (utility) bills when they do come in,” Mayor Dwain Hahs said.

Roach said “unless something dramatically changes,” delinquent payment penalties will resume in June, pending action by the aldermen.

Other items discussed by the aldermen during the study session included:

• A review of Jackson’s COVID-19 response plan.
• An update on the Jackson Police Station construction project.
• A status report on the roundabout project at the intersection of Shawnee Boulevard and East Main Street.
• A review of bids received for the city’s underground facilities locating and marketing services program.
• The potential use of a message notification application called Notify Right Now.
• A brief overview of Jackson’s recycling program, which, according to a monthly revenue report presented by Jackson administrative director Rodney Bollinger, is starting to operate in a deficit due to falling prices for recycled materials.

During their business meeting earlier in the evening, the aldermen:

• Approved a resolution accepting a voluntary annexation petition from Todd Johnson and Kaci Jo Sparkman pertaining to property at 357 Timber Lane and set 6 p.m. June 1 as the time and date for a public hearing on the petition. They also approved a bill proposing an ordinance to authorize the annexation agreement with Johnson and Sparkman.
• Approved a matching expenditure not to exceed $6,000 for Jackson’s 2020 Independence Day fireworks display.