Sentinel staff report–
The Citrus Heights City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to modify several fees charged by the city, including the addition of a new $25 late fee for property owners who don’t pay their rental housing inspection program fees on time.
City staff said the late fee will be imposed on those who are late on their registration or payments, and a separate fee of $11 will be required for rescheduling an inspection visit.
Mayor Bret Daniels questioned whether there was an automated option to eliminate staff time, through online rescheduling or automated late fee notices. The city’s administrative services director, Susan Talwar, said there are no automated options currently but noted that the city’s transition to a new software system may allow for such an option in the future.
City Manager Ash Feeney said the fees are based on “cost-recovery” for staff time involved when property owners don’t pay their bills on time, or have to reschedule.
“I’m just kind of amazed that it’s not automated,” said Daniels. “You know, if I don’t pay my credit card there’s not a little old lady in a basement somewhere [manually adding a fee], they’re just going to attach a fee on it and charge me an extra fee because I’m late.”
Feeney said automated tools are in the works for future use with the city’s new enterprise resource planning software, “but we don’t have those capabilities right now.” He said fees can be revisited at a later date, if automation is successfully implemented.
Sentinel staff report--
The Citrus Heights City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to modify several fees charged by the city, including the addition of a new $25 late fee for property owners who don't pay their rental housing inspection program fees on time...
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