DAPHNE, Ala.—Once city attorney Jay Ross prepares a list of customers delinquent on payment for garbage service, the city will mail demand letters in an attempt to collect past dues.

The measure comes because some residents have neglected to pay for garbage—one topic of City Council’s Thursday work session.

“These delinquencies are approaching or are just past $30,000,” Councilman August Palumbo said.

Palumbo noted that Daphne Utilities keeps a running list of delinquents and that Ross can acquire those names from the utility.

Council President John Lake said a six-month payment plan may not work for all past-due accounts and that some flexibility should be allowed.

“I don’t see a problem with that,” Palumbo replied. “The point is to get those people back online.”

“I’m sure when we go through that list, we’re only going to find a handful of hardships,” Councilman Bailey Yelding said.

Councilman Ron Scott commented on a planned agreement between Daphne Utilities and Park City Water Authority in which Daphne is attempting to collect on $90,000 in past dues.

Park City balked at the proposal, Scott said.

According to Scott, residents in Park City pay for water, but not garbage services, due to a lack of enforcement.

In other business:

BRAG—whose headquarters is located in a small building behind City Hall—plans to move into the city-owned Nicholson Center, citing the 15-year-old organization has outgrown the current building.

Starke Irvine, speaking on behalf of BRAG, expressed concerns for the drafted document.

“I think some of the wording of this lease needs to be modified,” he said, referring to unilateral conditions of a three-year break clause that allows the city—not BRAG—to break the lease.

“Any lease has got to be a win-win situation or else it falls apart,” Irvine said. “I don’t know where we go from here.”

Ross suggested that the break clause could be changed to a bilateral condition, meaning both sides could break the lease.

The council took it a step further and asked to have the break clause totally removed.

“I would like to see us go ahead and just eliminate the break,” Scott said.

Yelding, Councilwoman Cathy Barnette and Councilman Derek Boulware agreed.

Irvine also raised concerns about terminology in the lease that would limit commercial activity in the new building.

“We sell art and that could be considered commercial so I think that needs to be modified,” Irvine said.

After debating the correct definitions of “rent” and “lease,” Scott said that he’s not concerned with contract length or with BRAG subletting the building, should an outside entity want to hold a monthly function there.

Another sticking point was fiscal responsibility regarding paying for capital improvements.

The lease stipulates the city must match money received through grants from the federal government.

“I don’t think the city should pay BRAG for free money that comes from a federal grant,” Palumbo said.

“The way it’s written would include any capital expenditure,” Ross said. “My intention at the time of writing it was (from) any source.”

Irvine again will meet with Ross to refine details and reach an agreement.