No late fees means lost revenue for city

The city of Grand Coulee has lost revenue from late fees during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 20-23, first issued in March of 2020, doesn’t allow utilities to be shut off for a resident, nor for late fees to be charged.

At Grand Coulee’s Nov. 17 city council meeting, City Clerk Lorna Pearce told the council that the city has about $18,000 in outstanding utility bills from people not paying.

In 2019, Pearce told The Star, the city brought in $5,127 in revenue from late fees.

Pearce said one frustration is that some people known to have an income are choosing not to pay.

“We feel for the people who can’t truly do this,” she said.

The city has already had a system in place to help people who can’t afford to pay. 

If someone is behind and can’t make their payment in full, Pearce explained, they sign an agreement to pay a certain amount on a certain date, “kind of like a loan with no interest.”