By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The City of Decatur has written off just over $15,000 in delinquent utility accounts, but officials say the losses have been even greater in previous years.
All the accounts are five years old and the State Board of Accounts deems accounts that old to be “uncollectible” and says they must be written off.
At the recent meeting of the board of works and safety, Utilities Superintendent Kevin Hackman received permission to do just that with the latest five-year-old debts.
Accounts being forgotten were around the $30,000 mark a few years ago, “so they’ve been going down,” Hackman said.
Part of the reason for that is the city’s hiring of a collection agency.
While those accounts were being dumped, the police department was bringing in some money, receiving permission from the board to sell two unused antennas to the Berne Police Department.
Decatur Police Chief Kevin Gerber said the antennas “are kinda hard to find” and Berne offered to pay $300 each for them, the cost that the Decatur PD had in the devices.
Also at the board of works and city council meetings;
* The city fire department was given the okay to hire ProTech to clean up a mold problem in the basement of the fire station.
ProTech bid $14,474.31 for the work, while Paul Davis Restoration bid $14,462.60. The ProTech bid was a bit higher, but its quote contained more extensive work.
* The owner of a home at 510 Patterson St. will be sent a letter from City Attorney Anne Razo, and after it is received the owner will have 10 days to clean up the property; if not done do after 10 days, fines of $100 a day will begin.
Assistant Building/Zoning Superintendent Brad Roe said “any means to contact the owner have not worked,” and that the code enforcement issue “has been going on for months.
* The third and final reading of an ordinance gave approval to a handicap parking space at 350 S. Third St.
* An agreement with Bellmont Cadet Football was approved, affording the league permission to use the open area on the MERIT Center property.
