posted Jul 11, 2008 - 2:35:22pm
The good news for DeLand water customers is this: You'll have more time, after you receive your water bill in the mail, to pay it.
The bad news? If you don't pay it, the city will shut off your water three days after the due date — no more extra month's grace.
That's one of the changes in an ordinance approved on first reading July 9 by the DeLand City Commission.
Before it becomes law, the utility-bill ordinance must win the commission's vote again, at a second reading set for the Aug. 4 City Commission meeting.
Other changes include a late fee of $10, instead of 6.5 percent. For most residential customers, that will be a higher fee.
Also, the city will use its interactive voice response (IVR) system to call customers whose accounts are past due or approaching the due date. Customers will have the opportunity to pay by phone at the end of the call.
Larger deposits will also be demanded of water customers who frequently have late payments or shut-offs.
The proposed changes were hammered out over several City Commission meetings, after City of DeLand Finance Director Kevin Lewis suggested updating the city's utility billing.
On several points, commissioners demanded a softening of the changes Lewis proposed. For example, they nixed his plans to charge renters higher deposits than property owners, and to raise the required deposit to $255.
Finally, the proposals presented July 9 won the five commissioners' unanimous approval after City Commissioner Charles Paiva made one final tweak: reducing the new late fee from $20 to $10.
The finance director had several goals: streamline procedures so a smaller staff can handle utility billing, address customer complaints about the water bills, and reduce the number of customers whose water is shut off.
"We don't want to be going out and shutting off water," Lewis said.
Lewis told commissioners that, of the five Finance Department employees laid off this year because of budget cuts, three were in customer service, dealing with water bills. He said utility billing must be streamlined so the reduced crew can handle the demand.
"Right now, we're barely holding our head above water with the reductions we've made," Lewis told commissioners in June.
The workers who disconnect service when customers don't pay their bills shut off 75 to 100 water meters each week.
"They're out there, literally, 8:30 in the morning till 5 o'clock," Lewis said. "We need to reduce the turnoffs. ... Unfortunately, I think we have a fair number of customers who, that's their reminder to pay their bill."
Other changes that will be put into effect if the ordinance passes:
• The city will begin using a Florida company for printing, stuffing and mailing water bills. Customers have complained bills took too long to reach them from the out-of-state service the city uses now, leaving them too little time to pay before the due date. The Florida company has not yet been selected.
• The city will extend the due date on water bills to 20 days after the billing date, instead of 10 days. If the bill isn't paid within three days after the due date (23 days after the billing date), the water will be shut off.
• Cash payments will be accepted at only one cashier's window in City Hall. The city wants to discourage water customers from paying in cash, but the City Commission declined to outlaw cash payments.
• Customers whose water has repeatedly been shut off for nonpayment, or who tampered with their meter to turn their water back on after the city shut it off, will have $200 automatic-shut-off devices installed on their meters. The customer will then be billed for the $200 in four installments of $50 each.
• The $50 charge to have water turned back on after it has been shut off for nonpayment will stay the same.
• Customers who agree to have electronic bills instead of paper bills will get a $1-per-month credit.
• Water bills will be redesigned; the due date and potential shut-off date will be emphasized.
The Monday, Aug. 4, City Commission meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in DeLand City Hall, 120 S. Florida Ave., and is open to the public.
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