By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Mona City Council members voted to notify title and
abstract companies as well as the county recorder that homes
in Mona may be encumbered by the town for utility bills
still owing.
"We need to send a certified letter to the title
companies and to the county recorder stating that until such
time as outstanding utility bills are paid, the utilities
will not be turned on by the city," said Rick Schnurr,
council member.
Those who operated title companies locally thought the
action might be considered discriminatory, said Schnurr.
However, Schnurr had discussed the proposal with Mona's
attorney and found that it was not so.
"Our attorney, Phil Lowry, said this was a simple fix
and that it was not discriminatory," said Schnurr.
Some former homeowners in the city had houses for
sale. The property owners had not paid the utility bills on
those homes before putting them up for sale.
Some of those bills were in the $600 to $800 range and
the city needed to collect those utilities in arrears before
the property was re-sold. Not making certain that the buyer
knew of the encumbrance was tantamount to allowing the next
homeowner to be held hostage for the money.
The former homeowner, now trying to sell the property,
should pay the bill or should disclose the utility bill
amount so it could be part of the sale agreement, said
Schnurr.
The policy also needed to be included in a document
which would allow the potential buyer of any property to be
aware, in advance, of the city council's intent.
"A foreclosure is different from a utility bill in
arrears," said Schnurr. "In the case of a foreclosure, the
debt is excused."
Council members agreed city hall should have service
contracts on hand for homeowners to fill out prior to their
having utilities turn on at any property.
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