Town council votes to waive May water, sewer late fees
The Nashville Town Council voted last month to waive late fees for water and sewer bills for May with a plan to notify residents that late fees would be reinstated this month.
Under Gov. Eric Holcomb’s executive orders, the town could not disconnect water or sewer customers in March, April and May due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nashville Clerk-Treasurer Brenda Young told the council last month that May 21 would be the day the 10-percent late fees would be added to bills not yet paid.
Town council member Alisha Gredy suggested extending the late fee waiver through May.
“You think we should extend it another month, really? I think we ought to start charging,” President Jane Gore said.
Other council members agreed with the waiving the fees in May.
“I think if they have until June, we should give just a heads up that we’ll extend it for this month, but starting in June we have to start charging again is how I feel,” Gredy said, “not just spring it on them.”
Young said that some customers are 30, 60 and 90 days past due paying their bills. “We actually have a pretty good percentage of those paying,” she said.
Young said that those customers who have not paid will be called to let them know they are not being disconnected, but if they could start paying, it would help them catch up when the executive order is lifted.
“What’s going to happen is as soon as this pandemic is released as far as not disconnecting through the governor’s office then they will be really behind and not be able to catch up,” she said,
Those customers will also be asked about going on a zero-percent interest promissory note.
“It would be so much per month, so we would have to work out how much per month we can add,” Young said.
“I’ll be coming back to council I’m sure on a couple of the accounts, but actually, we had a pretty good percentage that had been paying. Some of those that had taken off the automatic payment have gone back on it now, so that’s good news. We’re doing pretty well, but we’ll see what next month brings. I just don’t want anyone to get too far behind that they can’t catch up.”
Town council extends emergency declaration
At the May 21 Nashville Town Council meeting, members voted to renew President Jane Gore’s emergency powers during the pandemic. Council member Anna Hofstetter voted against the renewal.
Town attorney James Roberts told the council they should consider extending the declaration of emergency here until the state says the public health emergency has passed.
“You may have to take a step back if the outbreak comes back. We have a flare up, you’re going to want to close those restrooms right away,” he said.
Under the declaration of emergency, Gore would be able to close the public restrooms without meeting with the rest of town council to get their approval. “That’s why we need to do it,” Gore said.
Hofstetter said she understood extending the executive order, but that she wanted to make sure Gore was making “the best decision” on behalf of the council.
“We just need to make sure we communicate. That’s all. That’s really it,” council member Nancy Crocker said.
Farmers market fees waived for this year
Farmers market vendors will not be required to pay fees this year to operate a booth in Nashville after the Nashville Town Council voted to waive then this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the May 21 meeting, Nashville Clerk-Treasurer Brenda Young asked the council about sending refunds to five people who had paid their fees ahead of time.
“They are open once a week on Sunday. We feel like they’re kind of a special case. We hope to entertain that we won’t charge them this year, but figure out another way to put something permanent into place for next year,” council President Jane Gore said.
“Those that have paid will be refunded this year only. We’ll have to come up with a plan for next year. We don’t know exactly what that will look like at this point.”
The waiver was approved unanimously.
Appraisals, inspections update on county, town purchases
The appraisals and inspections of two buildings the Nashville Town Council and the Brown County Commissioners are in the process of buying are happening now.
At the May 21 town council meeting, council President Jane Gore said that the two appraisals on the Artist Drive building the council wishes to purchase for the new Nashville Police Department were done and the results of one appraisal were back.
The purchase price for both buildings is the average of two appraisals, or the offering price, whichever is less.
The inspections on the Artist Drive building were also done. The seller will repair the roof as part of the sale after issues were found during the inspection. “They’re going to tack down the edges and there’s a whole list of stuff they are going to do on that roof. It’s about $6,600,” Gore said.
Gore said the goal is to close by the end of this month, but no possession date had been finalized.
At the June 3 Brown County Commissioners meeting, commissioner Diana Biddle said that the county had also received its first appraisal results and was waiting on the second. She said she expected to get the second appraisal back this month.
“I’m very sure we’re fine on our purchase price,” she said.
Biddle said she was going to order the title work for the property.
