Water payments aimed at those impacted by shutdown
Members of the City Council discuss the pros and cons of creating a payment system for water bills during November, December and January this year due to the government shut down, which is causing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to not receive, their full assistance. From the left are council members Trevor Owsley, Connie Cravens and Shawn Riddle. Deputy city clerk April Thrasher, City Cork, Marquette Riley and Mayor Laurel Irby are at center. Continuing down the right side, are council members, Jamie Allen, Doug Radford and Glen Murphy. PHOTO | Greg Wells
If you need to make payments on your water bill, make sure to get to City Hall before the 12th
By Greg Wells
CCN—Editor
Resolution 2025-10 was approved 5-1 at the City Council’s special-called meeting last Friday after lunch.
That resolution was to approve special allowances for water customers who help those hit by the shutdown of the federal government.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) had run out of money due to the shutdown, but court cases brought by Democratic Governors and others resulted in two judges ordering the food assistance programs to be reinstated using funds held by the agency for emergencies.
The victory was not complete, however, as the administration has refused to pay full benefits. Partial benefits are reportedly being paid this week for those who qualify.
The city’s resolution allows those who need assistance to pay weekly on their water bill. Those enrolled in the program must come by City Hall on Keen Street before the 12th of the month to enroll.
Those needing the relief will have to sign up for those weekly payments to keep any fines, fees, shut off, and reconnection charges from being assessed.
The program runs November through the end of January.
Mayor Laurel Irby, who proposed the resolution, and said repeatedly during the meeting that “this isn’t political,” explained that everything will have to be paid by the end of January for customers to not have their water cut off.
Joe Appleby, with the city’s water department, said there would be some additional paperwork for those working at City Hall, but he expected there wouldn’t be any impact on his department’s budget.
There were two dissenters on the council, Shawn Riddle and Connie Cravens.
“There’s a certain group that’s going to abuse this,” Riddle said. “You know what I’m saying?”
Appleby said that though it is true that there are some individuals who are late every month and often have their water shut off and then turned on the same day, it isn’t those people this help is aimed at.
For her part, Cravens stuck to her guns. She said experience at her pawn shop has shown her that there are people who are simply unable to budget their money. When they have money, it is spent.
She and others have mentioned the water department’s three-digit profit in the previous fiscal year. Cravens said after the meeting that it doesn’t seem the Department can’t afford this.
She voted against the resolution.
Individuals on City water who need the flexible payment plan need to be in the office before November 12 to sign up.
