EAST LIVERPOOL — It was like deja vu for city taxpayers and employees, after the computer system generated more than 1,700 erroneous delinquent notices to city taxpayers recently.

During a meeting of East Liverpool council’s finance committee Tuesday, Mayor Greg Bricker said that his phone has been ringing off the hook after the computer glitch.

Tax Commissioner Linda Harpold explained that she had been assured that the problem had been fixed after it occurred once before, but obviously that is not the case. She told the committee, which is made up of Fred Rayl, Jeff Kreefer and Raymond Perorazio, that the relatively new software isn’t recognizing the additional payment that was made after the taxpayer’s bill was credited for the tax withheld.

“I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that,” Rayl, who chairs the committee, said.

Some residents said that the city was alleging that the delinquencies were from as far out as a decade.

Harpold said the software company may have to write a special program to allow the additional payment to be recognized.

In addition, the committee agreed to pass on four pieces of legislation to the council as a whole, including the $20,000 donation from county commissioners to help offset the wages of East Liverpool’s officer assigned part-time with the county’s drug task force.

Bricker also said that he has been in contact with Better Cities, and he would like to get that moving as soon as possible. The mayor has forwarded the draft contract to city Law Director Charles Payne for consideration at the next council meeting slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21 (due to the federal holiday).

Earlier this year, Bricker agreed to donate his annual salary as well as the money normally used for his pension and benefits (estimated at $65,000) for 2020 if the city contracted again with Better Cities. The non-profit was utilized previously in the city and assisted in bringing New Castle School of Trades to downtown.

Water Superintendent Paul McCarthy, who also in attendance, said he wanted to meet with new Safety-Service Director David Dawson about the previously announced asset management study findings, which included a 13 percent water rate increase, and the numerous non-functional fire hydrants that could be found throughout town.

McCarthy explained the 25 fire hydrants, which don’t work for a variety of reasons, are marked by trash bags covering them and have been out of service for a while. Generally if someone strikes one with their car, for example, auto insurance reimburses the city $1,000; however, they cost between $2,200 to 2,600 for repair or replacement depending on the depth of the hydrant.

“We have to tear them apart” to assess the damage and resulting cost, he concluded.