By Sara QuamLandlords getting stuck with tenants’ old city utility bills got some support from Luverne City Council members Tuesday.They voted to amend an ordinance that assesses unpaid utility bills to property owners, whether they incurred the charges themselves or not.Tentatively, it will give late payers less time to pay the city before landlords are notified of the charges. The amended ordinance will be reviewed by landlords and city staff before final City Council approval.The ordinance may lessen the blow to landlords by having them pay half of what is owed, $200 per property, or a maximum cumulative amount of $350.The Rock County Auditor/Treasurer will still certify the unpaid charges to property bills from the last round of collection efforts.Some of the bills that will be turned over to the Auditor/Treasurer are two years old.Luverne landlord Leon Pick said to the Council Tuesday, "I know it’s a problem. I don’t like it when people don’t pay their bills."He said tenants may pay their rent and not utilities, so the city should let him know of problems before they rack up large bills."And I don’t know if it’s legal," Pick said, "but I say, cut them off. When my gas tank says empty, I either pay for gas or walk."Because of the Cold Weather Rule, total utilities can’t be shut off during cold months, but the city can limit use to heat and major appliances.The city is trying to collect $6,500 in unpaid utilities this year through the property tax certification. That is from sewer, water, wastewater — all utilities except electricity.The City Council discussed this issue in 2002 and left the ordinance alone. The state standard is to leave the burden on the actual property owners because they were earning money by renting the property to tenants. In 2002, council consensus was that all citizens of Luverne would be subsidizing landlords if they weren’t held responsible for unpaid utilities.
