Latrobe considers hardship payment plan for stormwater fee

Latrobe property owners who are experiencing a financial hardship could have more time to pay the city’s new stormwater management fee.

At its March meeting, city council is expected to consider authorizing city manager Michael Gray to approve modified payment dates in hardship cases.

As it stands, payment of the new annual fee of $90 per equivalent residential unit is due by March 31. After receiving calls from residents who are concerned about meeting the fee, Gray is proposing a payment plan — possibly extending through the end of the year — for property owners who are unemployed or are on a fixed income.

“Those are based upon most of the complaints we’ve been receiving,” Gray told council at its Monday agenda session. “If they’re having a hardship, anything we can do to help them out is going to be tremendous.”

Gray also has proposed the payment plan for owners of commercial or industrial property with a stormwater management bill of $1,000 or more.

To qualify for the plan, he said, an owner would have to be in good standing with the city — with all other accounts paid in full and no lien against the property.

Late payments could nullify the payment plan. “If they are delinquent by more than 10 days on more than two installment payments, they become ineligible for the installment payment option,” Gray suggested.

The new fee is meant to help the city meet costs of complying with state and federal mandates for better controlling stormwater and reducing sediment that flows into Loyalhanna Creek. The city is required to reduce the sediment by 10% annually over five years, at an estimated cost of about $2.1 million.

Gray has noted owners can consider offsetting a portion of the stormwater fee by adding stormwater control measures on their property. Once weather permits, Gray hopes to hold an outdoor seminar to explain those measures.

Bond consultants on board

Council appointed two consultants, bond counsel Lynch & Lynch and underwriter RBC Capital Markets, to assist Latrobe with proposed refinancing of $2.7 million in outstanding bonds from 2016.

Gray has estimated the refinancing could save the city $10,000 per year.

Police cameras funded

Council accepted a $16,765 grant through the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office to help pay for 15 body-worn cameras for Latrobe police officers. State funding is covering the balance of the $32,000 cost of the cameras, according to police Chief John Sleasman.

He said his department has received the cameras but can’t put them into service until a policy manual has been approved to govern their use.