Late fees waived, shutoffs suspended for Seward residents affected by virus

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Residents in Seward will not have to worry about making their utility payments on time if their income has been affected by COVID-19.

The city has suspended utility shutoffs and waived late fees and reconnect fees that would otherwise accumulate now through May 31.

The decision came during a special city council meeting via teleconference March 25 in which the council unanimously voted for the suspension to begin March 26.

City Administrator Greg Butcher said late fees billed prior to the current billing cycle will still be due, but any new fees through May 31 will be waived, not just delayed.

“They won’t ever have to pay them in the future,” he said of fees between March 26 and May 31.

No services will be disconnected for nonpayment during that time, even if residents have already received a disconnect notice. Because services won’t be disconnected, Butcher said the city also will not be charging the $25 reconnect fee or additional fees for after-hours reconnects.

“Everyone is doing this,” Butcher said of other communities across the state and region. “We’re already seeing layoffs in our own community where people are calling and asking about this.”

Butcher encouraged anyone having trouble paying their bill because of reasons related to COVID-19 to contact City Hall at (402) 643-2928 to discuss payment arrangements so that they don’t get further behind in the coming months.

“We all know this is going to snowball. Maybe they can pay a quarter of it at a time or something,” Butcher said.

Council member Jessica Kolterman asked if any federal money is available to the city to make up for the revenue it will lose by not charging late fees.

Butcher said he wasn’t sure yet, but more information will be available in the coming weeks.

Mayor Josh Eickmeier declared a state of emergency for Seward on March 20, which will potentially make the city eligible for state or federal funding. That information was sent to local Emergency Management Director Gary Petersen and the Nebraska Emergency Management Association on March 25.

“We’re still trying to see what costs related to the pandemic will be reimbursable,” Butcher said. “We’ve been told to keep track of everything you can think of and it will be sorted out in the laundry later.”

Also during the meeting, the council held a second reading of an ordinance to annex the Walmart Subdivision, North Addition, Lots 2 and 3 to the City of Seward.

The request came from Brian and Cindy Fehlhafer and, if approved on the third and final reading at the council’s next meeting, will bring approximately 10.66 acres of land into the city.

The application states the purpose is for a major subdivision to develop parcels of land along the east side of Highway 15 north of Walmart to “create lot sizes that align more effectively with infrastructure.”