Superior landlords have one less thing to worry about this week following action taken Monday evening by members of The Superior City Council.

A proposal made earlier to make the landlords responsible for their tenants utility bills was meant strong opposition.

Monday evening members of the council reversed direction and unanimously approved changing the way the city utility department does business.

Andrew Brittenham, the utility department manager, said he had patterned the changes after policies now followed by several larger Nebraska communities and the South Central Public Power District.

People requesting utility services must now be at least 18 years of age and undergo a credit check.

The amount of the deposit required before receiving service will depend upon their credit check rating. The better the credit rating the less deposit will be required. For example a person with no credit rating will be required to deposit $550 before receiving electric, natural gas and water service. A person with a good credit rating will be required to deposit $110. Commercial and industrial deposits will be figured by using an average of the previous 12 months consumption multiplied by three.

A credit agency will be used to determine an applicant’s credit score. The utility department will pay for the credit report.

In other action, the council accepted the resignation of Lucas Trauernecht. He had been an electric department employee for nine months.

The electric department’s conversion to remote read meters is progressing. The council was presented a map showing where meters had been replaced. As of Monday 322 new meters had been installed. In addition to remote reading the meters will allow the remote disconnection of service should an emergency arise.

With COVID-19 rules relaxing, the Living Faith Fellowship Church is planning to hold an Easter Egg hunt on April 5. As the Lions Club has disbanded and because of COVID-19, the church’s hunt will be different this year. It will start at 10 a.m. and include three age groups. Before the hunt can be held, a plan must be approved by the district health department. Members of the council have agreed to allow the hunt to be held in Lincoln Park provided the plan is approved by the health department.

The park and cemetery board was authorized to hire Heath Korb as a part-time seasonal employee.

The council approved a three-year extension of the lease with Lee Fintel for the site where the municipal burn pit is located. The site is a former sand pit located north of the former Portland Heights school.

As part of the next council meeting, members will finalize the city’s one and six year street improvement plan. The plan will probably include the armor coating of 20 to 25 blocks while continuing to save money for major concrete paving projects in the Oak Ridge subdivision and of Eighth Street between Bloom and Central.