St. Pete city leaders voted to stop charging residents late fees and halt shut-offs for water customers after many complained of high bills after the hurricanes. Members voted on Thursday and said they will also discuss the issue at a full meeting to make code change to help customers that are experiencing pricey water bills. One resident, named Jack Clearly, said he got a bill for hundreds of dollars for a home he hasn't lives in since Hurricane Helene. He showed 10 Tampa Bay that the main water valve was turned off while his home was coming but still received a $750 bill for using 22,700 gallons in a month for a home he can't live in. The city said if storm debris damaged or covered water meters, it estimated a bill based on the past three months. Future bills can be higher if the estimate is low once meters can be read like Cleary’s is now. “While I appreciate the response, I just think that there's a flaw in it,” Cleary says. “I have a hard time believing that that estimation can come to 22,000 [gallons].” Candice Winter, the interim billing and collections director, addressed this issue at the meeting and said if the estimated bill was lower than actual usage, the next one might seem higher. She also said there are over 1,000 customers backlogged with bills delayed from meters being inaccessible. Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders recognized the frustrations of the residents who came to speak at the meeting and questioned who has the time to work all day then go to a council meeting to dispute a bill. "None of us can take time off like that. Especially the ones that are impact the most." she said. "As council members, and I've said this before, we're gonna get a paycheck come hell, highwater, hurricane, natural disaster but everyone doesn't have that leniency with their employers to take that kind of time." MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/st-pete-city-council-votes-stop-late-fees-water-shut-offs-residents-complain-high-bills/67-8ad96f24-a6b6-423a-9721-d8edb2c37ec6