By Forrest Adams
Year in and year out, more taxpayers in Chanhassen are not paying their utility bills on time.

The city accounts cover water, sewer, storm water system maintenance and water testing fees.

As of last week, there were 385 accounts considered by the city to be delinquent. That’s a 75-account increase from last year and a 185-account increase from 2006.

The City Council will meet on Oct. 27 to certify the accounts that remain delinquent. Amounts certified will be payable with the 2009 property taxes.

Included in the total charge is a 10 percent certification fee plus a $4 Carver County certification fee.

City Finance Director Greg Sticha said the growth of delinquent accounts doesn’t surprise him, considering the city adds new accounts every year and the worsening national economy.

“We’ve added a bunch of utility accounts over the last five years,” he said. “Some of the delinquent accounts could be attributed to us adding. Some of them are probably due to the downturn in the economy.”

Delinquent accounts
2003 = 163
2004 = 204
2005 = 198
2006 = 200
2007 = 310
2008 = 385
Source: City of Chanhassen

Besides that, Sticha said it’s a small percentage of the 8,381 total accounts in the city. On average the number of delinquent accounts certified is about one third less than the list of delinquencies that’s published in the newspaper in October.

“These numbers reflect only the number of delinquent accounts that meet the requirements to be certified to the following year’s taxes at the time of submittal to the newspaper for print,” Utility Billing Clerk Katie Reed stated in e-mail correspondence. “It does not necessarily reflect the number that was, or that will be, certified. There are a number of this year’s accounts that we believe will be paid before the Nov. 1 deadline.”

On Aug. 1 and Sept. 1, the city sent out letters to taxpayers with a delinquent account. Then in October, they get another bill encouraging them to pay, said Sticha.

Ways to pay

There are several ways for utility customers to pay their bills.
Since July 1, 2006, the city has allowed utility billing customers to have their quarterly utility bills automatically deducted from their checking or savings account (ACH).

This is the city’s preferred method of payment, Sticha said, since it means less paperwork and processing time for city employees. About 18 percent of accounts are paid through this method, he said.
People can also use online bill pay through the city’s Website.
Sticha said utility billing customers can work out a payment plans with the city by contacting Katie Reed, Utility Billing Clerk, at (952) 227-1144.

Readers can contact Forrest Adams at fadams@swpub.com.