Joint Meeting Council/BFPD
07/21/26 05:30 PM
Finance
Brenna Chavez
Public Hearing
Doc ID: 6471
COUNCIL RESOLUTION
AGENDA MATTER:
PUBLIC HEARING: LIEN PROTEST HEARING FOR DELINQUENT TRASH AND SEWER ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Pursuant to Barstow Municipal Code Sections 6.20.210 and 13.22.060, a protest hearing is being conducted for property owners who have been notified regarding the placement of a tax roll assessment and lien on their property as a result of unpaid sewer and/or trash collection fees.
DISCUSSION:
On May 19, 2026, the City Council set the date, time, and location for a public hearing regarding lien protests and the report of delinquent sewer and/or trash (“utility”) accounts. The public hearing is for property owners who have been notified of account delinquency and who wish to be heard by the City Council in reference to delinquent utility fees.
Upon approval of the Resolution, a lien and/or special tax assessment will be placed upon those properties as a result of unpaid utility fees that are delinquent as of April 30, 2025. Liened amounts will be sent to the San Bernardino County Tax Assessor who will place a special assessment upon the property owner's property tax bill in order to collect delinquent utility fees. Property owners requesting a payment plan arrangement, and those approved by the City Council for such request, will still have a lien placed on the property; however, those accounts seeking a payment arrangement will not have their delinquent amount assessed onto their property tax bill. A payment plan will be entered into to ensure payment of delinquent and current charges are made to bring a property owner’s account into a current status by the end of April 2027.
Pursuant to the Barstow Municipal Code, individual notices have been mailed to each property owner of record, to the mailing address on file, having a delinquent utility account of $50 or more as of April 30, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Conduct a protest hearing and subject to testimony received, adopt Resolution No. XXXX-2026 and waive further reading.
2. Where necessary and relevant, direct staff to resolve any conflicts with protest owners before the final lien and/or property tax assessment list is filed with San Bernardino County. Additionally, authorize staff to remove any properties from the lien and assessment listings should delinquent fees be paid prior to the filing of the final lien list with San Bernardino County.