Pocatello city reaches a $4.5 million settlement to reimburse utility customers

Some Pocatello residents could see a check in the mail from the city this fall. A class action lawsuit was filed against the city for illegal utility fees between 20012 and 2014. City officials held a press conference at Pocatello city hall to provide an update on the case.

The lawsuit went to the Idaho Supreme Court after being filed in 2014. After several years, the city reached a $4.5 million settlement to reimburse utility customers.

The final hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16. However, check reimbursement amounts have not been made public yet.

Current utility customers who received services during the two-year settlement period do not have to file any paperwork to receive a check. However, former customers can only receive a check by sending in an application. Information on how to do that will be mailed out to former customers by July 27.

The city released the following:

” At this time, we do not have an amount that residents will receive from the settlement, as that amount will be determined by the District Court at the hearings in the fall. The settlement amount will be paid using funds from the City’s reserves. We do not anticipate this use of reserves will impact the City on a day-to-day basis.

The City of Pocatello is pleased to have this matter nearly resolved and we will be providing updates to residents as these final stages of the case progress. ”

Additional details on the settlement are available HERE.

Local News 8 and KIDK Eyewitness News 3 reporter Brady Halbleib is following this story. He will give you a live update Tuesday night.