The Chelsea City Council unanimously approved the collection of thousands of dollars in overdue utility and mowing bills owed to the city by approving liens against the properties and special assessments.

These alternative means of collection are part of the city's ordinances and about $6,500 in overdue utility bills will be placed as liens against the properties, while about $1,054 will be specially assessed to the individual properties that are more than 45 days late in paying bills.

Delinquent storm water service bills of about $3,740 were placed as liens against 161 properties following two notices sent out in June. They will be added to the property owner’s winter tax bills following the unanimous vote of the City Council, with Frank Hammer absent.

Delinquent utility bills of about $2,840 will be added to three parcels as liens against the properties following a separate unanimous vote of the council.

“We have worked hard to contact these utility customers for payment and followed our past due/shut off policy to limit the size of the past due balances,” Laura Kaiser, deputy clerk, said in a memo to the City Council.

All the utility bills are at least six months past due and the city has informed both the customer and the property, if different than the owner, that the past due balance will be transferred to their tax bill if left unpaid.

There were about $4,643 in delinquent utility bills for the summer tax roll up substantially from the 2010 winter tax roll that showed about $1,245 that was owned to the city.

In addition, about $1,054 in delinquent mowing and weed clean-up costs owed to the city will be specially assessed on the winter tax bill to six properties that are more than 45 days late in being paid.

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