Three Rivers residents will soon have more time to pay utility bills before incurring late fees

Pictured are Commissioners Steven Haigh and Carolyn McNary during Tuesday's Three Rivers City Commission meeting at Three Rivers City Hall. (Beca Welty|Watershed Voice)

Commissioners updated on former Three Rivers hospital demolition 

The Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday adopted a resolution that will give residents 30 days to pay utility bills before penalties are applied. 

At a commission meeting on January 17 city staff was asked to review the current utility billing process to determine if customers could be given 30 days to pay their bill before a penalty is applied for non-payment. Per current ordinance, a 10 percent penalty is added on the day after the due date if the bill is unpaid. Commissioners were presented with the opportunity to update the ordinance to apply the penalty to bills which are not paid prior to the last business day of the month in which said bill is due, giving residents approximately 30 days to pay without a penalty.

“This is something we should have never really had,” Mayor Tom Lowry said of the current penalty procedure. “We have a community that has a lot of people who are one or two paychecks away from disaster.” At-large Commissioner Lucas Allen agreed with Lowry, saying the change of ordinance is “common sense” and will benefit the city as a whole. 

The change will take effect in 20 days, beginning with the March 1 utility bill cycle. 

Peaceful Rivers

In other business, commissioners agreed to rezone 1150 Millard St. from I-1 (light industrial) to B-2, making the location part of the general business district. Peaceful Rivers has outgrown their downtown location and are in the process of relocating to the new address (once home to Everything Educational), with the intention of re-establishing their massage therapy business on the premises. 

The one-acre property is currently zoned I-1 light industrial, which means its purpose is to provide for the establishment of wholesale and retail trade of large volume, bulk commercial storage and warehousing, and light industrial development. Being rezoned as B-2 (or general business district) means the business would be allowed to provide for the establishment of commercial and service activities which draw from and serve customers from the entire community or region, which is not an option under a I-1 code. 

“I hate to see them leave downtown,” Fourth District Commissioner Carolyn McNary said during discussions, “but where they are moving to is a really active area. I wish them the best over there.” 

Brian Farkas, director of workforce housing for Allen Edwin Homes, addresses the Three Rivers City Commission during its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 7 at Three Rivers City Hall. (Beca Welty|Watershed Voice)

Workforce housing

Allen Edwin Homes, a company that has worked with the City of Three Rivers for many years to create new housing options for residents, would like to purchase five acres of vacant city-owned property for $50,000. They recently completed Garfield Court that offers high-end new home rentals, are expanding Meadowbrook Farms to add new owner-occupied homes, and are building five new homes on infill lots within the fourth district, where substandard housing was removed. Allen Edwin also has a purchase agreement for Meadows Senior Condos, which will create more condos for senior citizens to live in. The company would like to purchase the city-owned property in order to build rental homes that are affordable for working families. This project would be under a new law that allows for a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT). 

Brian Farkas, director of workforce housing for Allen Edwin homes, spoke to the commission directly regarding the project. Farkas said the new PILOT law (passed only four weeks ago) allows for a significant reduction in property taxes. “These houses we’re going to build in Three Rivers would normally lease for about $2,500 per month. Under the PILOT program we can reduce it to $1,500 and build three- or four-bedroom homes with about 1,400 square feet,” Farkas said. 

He added that the new PILOT law changed the income requirements for housing from low income to now addressing missing middle, attainable housing, and workforce housing. “Think of nurses, police, bartenders, baristas, Amazon fulfillment workers — this is what that housing is geared towards.”

City Manager Joe Bippus said some negotiation still needs to take place, and those talks are happening with new City Attorney TJ Reed. “He’s been reviewing it and giving us good advice on how we can structure an agreement,” Bippus said. 

Lowry reminded the commission they were not being asked to make a decision on the agreement for at least 30 days. Reed was on hand to offer legal perspective and explained further, “Under the city charter it requires any sale of property to be put in a form of resolution, and held for a minimum of 30 days, as the mayor already said. So even if if the commission wanted to move forward today with the deal, they can’t. This is just the first step for them to get more information, and for the commission to get more information.” 

Ultimately commissioners agreed to put the resolution on file for 30 days. 

City Manager Joe Bippus gives an update on the demolition of the former Three Rivers hospital during a city meeting on Tuesday, February 7. (Beca Welty|Watershed Voice)

Old Three Rivers hospital 

In an update regarding the demolition of the old hospital, Bippus said he recently stopped by the site when the crew was in the process of filling the basement portion of the structure with dirt. Bippus said they were close to having it shaped and only have a small bit of concrete to remove along with railing. Hoping to be done by the end of the month, one of the last jobs remaining is to grind the parking lot, fill the area with dirt, grade it properly, and finally lay down gravel. Bippus went on to explain that a developer has interest and plans to visit the site in order to determine the future of the property, including the possibility of its use as a future apartment building. 

Bippus said the entire area below the site is in poor shape with potholes, and he has contacted Veritus, the group that was used in designing Armstrong Park, about potentially addressing it. He said they can do vision-casting for the area with a landscape architect, and potentially do surveys or public meetings for those in the community to get involved with the future of the project. 

Bippus mentioned the possibility of the current contractors on site removing the bear cages and bars below the former hospital, but leaving the back wall mural. “Let’s level up the ground, at least put some dirt there for now, and then maybe reuse that area for a seating area or a warming hut,” Bippus said. The city manager also suggested one day installing a canvas or metal lean-to roof over the area, or even installing an outdoor gas fireplace there to run occasionally on certain days for those sledding in the colder months. With the commission’s blessing Bippus promised to pursue the issue further, and to provide updates at a future meeting.

Beca Welty is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice.