The city will be sending a collection agency after a downtown business owner for a $10 debt incurred during a charitable event.
Last Monday, council approved a budget amendment to record nine accounts receivable as bad debts. One of those is the Barber’s Daughter.
A city staff memo notes the debt is from June 2009. The shop’s proprietor, Kelli Thompson, had asked to use two parking stalls for the day “and subsequently refuses to pay for the requested parking stalls because the usage was for charity.”
Thompson, who doesn’t drive or have a licence, told the Observer the request relates to a day-long celebration of the barber shop’s 80th anniversary, which included a Relay For Life fundraiser.
“Nobody parked there for more than 15 minutes,” said Thompson. “It was all day, people were just coming and going and donating for cancer.”
Thompson claims the debt was erased by a city employee when she renewed her business licence, and that no mention of it was made when she renewed her licence again this year.
“I was told she deleted it off the computer when I was there, otherwise I would not have been able to renew my business licence,” says Thompson.
At the Monday meeting, Coun. Kevin Flynn asked if there was a way to write off minimal amounts. City corporate services director Monica Dalziel explained the city would get half of what the collection agency receives.
“I wouldn’t think that would be very prudent for a municipality not to try to follow up and collect outstanding debts…,” Dalziel told the Observer, declining to comment on Thompson’s claim of the debt having been erased.
Thompson said she would like more information on why she received the fine. For the time being, she is reluctant to pay it, nor does she want anyone to pay it on her behalf.
“I had shops along here telling me, if you get a $10 fine we will pay you for it. But that’s not the point. I can afford $10 on my own,” said Thompson.
