LARNED — After visiting the topic twice before in April, Larned City Council members hashed over four options for providing citizens of Larned pandemic assistance with utility bills. Uncertainty still exists over what segments of the economy are the most in need, and the situation is constantly evolving.
The city provides electricity and water, as well as wastewater and sanitation services, to city residents and some who live outside the city limits.
The option were:
• Allocating additional money to aid agencies such as the Ministerial Alliance so it could extend assistance to local businesses as well as individuals.
• Temporarily waiving utility charges including the base/minimum rates, late charges and surcharges.
• Temporarily reducing rates or charges
• Allowing customers to pay outstanding balances on utilities over time.
City Manager Brad Eilts provided analysis. Amortization of outstanding balances would be administratively challenging, he said, because it would require a separate spreadsheet for each account. Assistance, on the other hand, can be implemented in phased steps and revisited at the Council’s discretion.
City Clerk Kara Rath reported customers had been more communicative in recent weeks, calling to discuss payment options in light of anticipated checks. According to cities on her electronic mailing list, some cities are sending out courtesy letters to let people know they have a balance and asking them to call in with information about when they will be able to pay. This, she suggested, could be an option. Rather than incurring postage for the letters, she suggested posting a general notice on the city’s Facebook page, and see how it is received.
Some customers who are current on their bills found the Midwest Energy credit they received with their latest bill a timely and pleasant surprise. Residential credits ranged from as little as $.01 to over $100, and current electrical charges for most residences were under $100, she said.
“(The credit) has definitely helped. People are excited about those,” she said.
Mayor William Nusser nudged the council for action on COVID-19 relief. Dennis Wilson opined the council continue to gather information and wait and see what happens as stores reopen. Other council members concurred.
