Resident disputes $595 cleanup bill for 830 Mill Street; staff to research certified-mail notice

A Tipton resident told the Board of Public Safety they were billed roughly $595 after the city removed debris from 830 Mill Street and said they had not received the certified notice the city says it sent.

The resident, identified in the transcript as "K I n s e y.", said the charge—described in city paperwork as including labor and equipment—felt excessive for removal of a single recliner and other small items and worried the amount would become a lien on the property. “I got charged by almost $600 to pick up a plan,” the resident said, adding they had previously paid $40 for a dump-truck cleanout and did not receive the certified mailing the city referenced.

City staff explained that code enforcement operates on a complaint basis and that when certified notices are returned to sender the typical next step is to send the street department to pick up items and bill the property owner for labor and equipment, which can include an hour-minimum charge across multiple departments. Staff acknowledged the return-to-sender status on the certified mailing and said they would research what opportunities exist to remedy the situation in light of the resident’s account.

Board members asked why the resident had not paid the $40 charge earlier and discussed past citywide cleanups and the rationale for setting minimum-charge thresholds to cover staff, equipment and certified-mail costs. The resident said they intended to ask that the amount be applied to their property taxes and reiterated that the $595 charge was a financial hardship.

Staff told the resident they would convene internally to examine the mailing and billing timeline and follow up with the resident about next steps. No formal board vote or fee adjustment was recorded at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will research the certified-mail record and billing timeline and report back to the resident and the board.