Zephyrhills: Pay up or it'll be shut off

The city will enforce a law on utility payments.

By Ebony Windom, Times Correspondent
Published February 12, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - It's time to start paying that utility bill in full.

That's the message the City Council sent Monday evening by agreeing to enforce an ordinance that requires customers to pay the bill in full within 31 days or get their water, sewer and garbage service shut off.

That ordinance has been on the books for years, but the utility department had become lenient with folks who make partial payments, allowing their services to stay on.

But "it's becoming an increasing problem," said City Manager Steve Spina. "We do try to work with the people when they come in.... We're getting more and more delinquent accounts."

Katrina Bouthot, the city's director of administrative services, says customers will be informed of the crackdown on an upcoming billing statement.

Also, Bouthot said the city plans to create a link on its Web site to allow customers to pay their utility bills online before year's end.

In other business, the council unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting skateboarding in certain areas of the city. The measure included a last-minute amendment that requires skaters to yield to others and also to wear a helmet while using the city's skate park.

The council also unanimously approved Jim Hartnett's application for $5,000 reimbursement for historic preservation efforts at his home on Ninth Street.

Also, a proposal to expand an upcoming city-owned warehouse at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport by 10,000 square feet was approved unanimously by the council.

[Last modified February 11, 2008, 22:24:12]