As required by a city ordinance, the City of Washington has removed $348,567.45 in bad debts (more than five years old) from its financial books.

About this time last year, the city wrote off $338,741.53 in bad debts for fiscal year 2017. The city adopted the write-off policy July 18, 2011.

As in previous years, uncollected fees for emergency medical services is at the top of the list of bad-debt write-offs for fiscal year 2018, according to a memorandum from Matt Rauschenbach, the city’s chief financial officer and administrative services director, to the mayor and City Council members. The city is writing off $207,893.27 in unpaid EMS debt for fiscal year 2018, about $4,000 less than the previous fiscal year.

The latest write-offs include $88,206.93 in unpaid electric bills, (up from $86,715.96 in unpaid utilities bills in the previous fiscal year), $19,100.03 in unpaid sewer bills, $13,125.87 in unpaid water bills and $6,024.28 in unpaid sanitation charges. The latest write-offs also include $2,636.73 in property damage to city electrical equipment and a $6,832.28 lot mowing/cleaning bad debt, according to the memorandum.

“The EMS write-offs are consistent with past performance. Our collections represent 77 % and are consistent with the industry norm,” reads the memorandum. EMS write-offs will continue to be substantial in the future because of contractual allowances and expected collection rates, according to Rauschenbach.

The city’s EMS collections have increased from $350,000 to $650,000 a year since the city hired EMS Management Consultants to perform billing and collection duties in 2010, according to the memorandum.

The City Council has instructed city staff to take all actions possible, including going to court, when it comes to collecting money owed the city.

The city uses multiple collection methods to obtain payment on the outstanding debts, but writes off those bad debts after certain criteria are met. After 10 years, unpaid assessments are written off. After five years, unpaid EMS charges, utilities charges, building-demolition charges and other fees and charges are removed from the city’s financial books.