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A blog by Managing Editor James Jordan about the newspaper. So far it's mostly about city commission, but I hope to delve into other local issues.
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65 comments:
Here's some interesting numbers for you.
I called over 50 cities, to find out what they are charging for their disconnect fees and the reconnect fees, 95% charge only one fee. So it is either a reconnect or a disconnect fee but not both. This includes cities such as, Abilene, Alnena Andover Baldwin City, Basehor, Baxter Springs, Belle Plaine, Dodge City, El Dorado, Emporia, Garden City, Great Bend, Hutchinson, Iola, Hays, Derby, Haysvills, Lawrence, Manhattan, Olathe Overland Park, Pittsburg, Coffeville, Independence, Winfield, Wellington, Topeka
Many of these cities have population is 10,000 or over as we do.
None charge anywhere near what Ark City is charging. No other city forces it citizens to pay within 21 days either. So we are charging the most giving the least amount of time for our citizens to pay all while imposing very high water rates.
Now to be fair we are charging only a 5% penalty while 18 of the cities polled are charging 10% penalty.
Having said that I found the city that our administrative staff probably got the idea from regarding rates, Potwin, KS population 457 (they buy their water from El Dorado), they charge $45.00 and $45.00 however they a lot 35 days to pay the bill. Bel Aire population a little over 5000, (they buy their water from Wichita) they charge $50 and $50 but they also give their citizens between 35-37 days to pay. Since both those cities buy their water from someone else and we do not is that really a model for us to follow? Not really comparing apples to apples.
Alma who bills for all utilities gas, electric, water, sewer, trash does charge a $25.00 disconnect and a reconnect fee $25.00, the first thing they shut off is the electric, if after 5 days that doesn’t get account holders attention they come back out and shut it all off.
A fee charged by a city to and against its citizens should reasonably reflect the expenses incurred for the service provided these fees that Ark City staff requested and the city commission approved is extremely excessive.
WOW! Thanks Kanyon for taking the time to search and research this. I love good hard facts. I for one sincerely hope our City leaders will rethink their position on this water fee. All that's going to happen is those among us who are least fortunate will suffer the most.
Again, Thk U.
D.Q.
Excellent research by Kanyon. Also, it is great to have someone not simply let City Hall outlast them. I have listened to the argument for the new policy and very earnestly to the information and plea from this citizen advocate against.
It seems that our City staff and council have offered a reasonable, if not valid, argument for the policy. They wish to promote prompt payment from its water customers - which just happens to be all citizens within the incorporated boundaries. It is a good business approach.
However, municipal government does not operate from standard business policy. The core of municipality is "service to the public" and, therefore, should adopt and promote policies that consider ALL its inhabitants. To embrace a policy that is overbearing on the poor is simply put, poor public policy.
Municipality, or city, is in its quaintest fashion, an aggregate of folks who can, bearing the burden for those who cannot. Yes, it is disproportionate but, it is what defines our advanced form of civilization.
Folks who argue for the shut-off policy probably will never be affected by it. Minus the voice of this citizen advocate, you have an abundance of low income folks and retirees whose tenuous financial circumstances will be swallowed up in just a few months.
In order to avoid the impact of the policy folks may resort to payday loan services to pay that bill. We know that is simply a slippery slope where no one wins except those east coast operations with their triple digit interest rates.
The excessive fees may be good business policy. It is absolutely horrible public service policy! Find another way to retain your staff and fund the capital outlay projects.
My goodness, just ask for some of the stimulus money and let’s move forward without trampling over the struggling citizens of Arkansas City.
Don't make them beg for service. Don't make them stand and decry their financial inadequacies publicly. Don't make them leave a community they would like to remain a part of over poor public policy.
Find another way.
Kanyon, I pay my bill, and no I don't have a big fancy job, I work at wallmart and have to feed two kids. So I make priorites. Maybe others should try the same. How many who claim to not be able to pay have cell phones or internet or cable tv, or a big screen tv from rent a center? Why should I have to pay for those that make bad choices?
"Why should I have to pay for those that make bad choices?"
You're missing the point here. It's not about making you pay for anyone's bad choices.
A little old lady living on Social Security and a little help from wherever she can get it. Trying to decide whether to buy her necessary heart medication or food. Which one to get??? Now, here comes the good City of Arkansas City (her hometown) and slaps her with a $100.00 bill.
Question: What should we do with people like this? I think we are honor bound to help them. To the City of Ark City: This fee is not helping, it's hurting. Please reconsider.
Dear Anonymous,
In reality you are not paying for anyone other than yourself and your family. The truth is that we are not spreading the unpaid amount around for others to deal with.
Last year the unpaid bills we are told by staff total 121,000 The Kansas setoff program and personal payment brought in 75,000 during 2008.
Now we are not talking a large % of people who are willfully not paying their bills nor are we talking about a large % who put the water in someone elses name we are talking about citizens such as that are paying bills. I am happy for you that things are working so that you can pay your bills on time, not everyone is in that position.
I have never said that the bill should never be paid I am saying that reasonable fees, and reasonable time to pay are the problem.
What other thing do you know of that could tke an increase of 5 fold that is what happened here. It went from $20 to $100. the Salvation Army has seen an increase of 50% in the last 4 weeks of people needing help with water bills.
Funny that you use the same language that city staff uses, when you talked about the other citizens. I never said anything about a fancy job. A wise person once said to me that if you envy his money you must also accept his bills.
My point is that this fee... is out of line with the serivce. Consider this all the other cities our size can perform this act for a lot less. As well as they are not creating or compounding the problem for their citizens.
So are they all losing money on this service. All of them?
I don't beleive that caring about my fellow citizens is wrong,
I am happy that this does not effect you today and that you don't have to worry about making decisions regarding which bill to pay, but this fee is not about people who have cable, or whatever this is a fee that no other city our size who provides it's own water needs to levy against it's citizens so why does Arkansas City need this fee.
2840 accounts had a 5% penalty added to their water bills on the 17th of the month. That's a hugh increase for just last month.
254 accounts are on the disconnect list. That means that each one will have to pay in addition to their accounts in full a $100 fee. whether or not their water has been disconnected or not if they are on the list they have to pay the fee plus their bill in full.
Its too bad that the poor dont make the laws. Most politicians are upper or at least middle class. I would like to see a person that makes less than 20g a year in a public office. But most of us dont have time to run for office, we're to busy working to pay are crazy taxes and utilities.
This is not about someone's salary or empathy for those that can not pay. I frankly don't care what salary those making my laws earns as long as the decisions they make are intellligent. I will not condemn someone for earning a living no matter how good it may be and working hard to do so.
I am just not sure this decision is really well thought out. Was the decision made to be a deterrent to those that are habitually late...if so, with today's computers it is possible to give everyone one chance a year to be late. If it happens again then charge them a reasonable fine. The key word is reasonable.
This will address the people who are out of town or who are seniors and get a little disorganized and forget. If they are late once, it is not a big deal. If it happens again then it is a big deal.
It is not fair to ask the majority of the city to pay water bills for those that are playing the system but it is also not appropriate for the city to ignore the needs of some citizens.
It would be amazing to many to learn how many inhabited structures in this town DO NOT have running water. The statistics are staggering and it appears that this law will add to those numbers.
I worry about our very young and very old citizens being the victims of a law that hurts while those that the law was written to deter will just find another way to rip off the system and be proud of it.
What is the reprieve that is offered to someone who cannot pay? Do they get an extension for X amount of days or is the amount due in full by the next payment date?
@ Kanyon
Before I forget - nice info! Thanks!
Again, I echo many comments.
Thank you very much Kanyon.
Great research. I hope someone from the City will pay attention.
I believe that most people want to take care of their bills, but with the current situation - perhaps this is not the time to help them sink into financial depression. I think we ought to be doing all that we can to help people. (you know, give them a chance)
Job layoffs, job losses, decreased hours = shuffling bills around a bit. Folks used to 40 hours a week, now only getting 25. (something is gonna suffer)
PRAYER TIME!
@4"36 p.m.
"254 accounts are on the disconnect list. That means that each one will have to pay in addition to their accounts in full a $100 fee. whether or not their water has been disconnected or not if they are on the list they have to pay the fee plus their bill in full."
Let me see...I got a calculator right here..hmm (scratching head) $100.x 254 = $25,400. (glad I took math class)
$25,400. Now tell me it's not a money grab. Plain and simple. The city needs cash. Understandable. But, PLEASE,PLEASE, let's not do it on the backs of the poorest among us. The children will suffer the most. This is my hometown. Boy, do I feel bad about what's being done to the poor folk. (pack, pack, pack, getting ready to move to...don't know yet)
Some used to talk about the people on the blogs being a bit mean. The series of public policy along with the policy makers who use phrases such as "They should pay their d**@# bill"; also "most of those people are wasting their moeny at the casinos" or "Those people just need to be responsible"
Consider the harshness of our AC tone while we are watching the nation bail out people who have pilfered billions of dollars from hard working folks.
Consider that those institutions paid out double digit profits to share holders and multi million dollar bonuses to the execs who abnkrupted them and we grumble but watch it all happen.
Then we turn around and slam folks who are struggling to pay a water bill? We simply aren't a very nice community right now. We are cold and unfeeling and bitter and seeming to relish the thought that someone is doing without.
Mean spirited and vicious words are uttered or written towards anyone who offers a challenging or dissenting opinion. This has marked AC and amused our neighbors in Winfield for too long now.
Resorting to nasty and unfounded allegation while hiding behind the veil of anonymity is our behavioral norm.
Maybe this is adding to it but, in a recent conversation, I said that Arkansas City is kind of like a drunk in a bar looking for anyone to "fight me."
We are not very nice right now.
Now rip my words to shreds. Just know it will be more than a week before I see any of the criticisms if they are yet on here. I need to spend some time around nice and compassionate people before I too am tormented with this mean spirit that seems to be covering our community.
It is embarrassing that we simply are a community of mean spirited and unfeeling people arguing over poor folks who struggle to pay their bills and applauding city staffers who are exploiting them while coneding not one red cent of their comfortable salaries and neither even considering delaying some of those capital projects rather than exploit the poor.
Disconnection of service should be sufficient deterrent. The $100 in fees just makes the city look ghetto and desperate!
We should change our City name from Arkansas City to Mean Spirited City.
Fair service is all we ask. A fair and reasonable fee for those who are habitually late is one thing, but this is ridiculous. When are the commissioners going to wake up and realize that this is not a big city? We all moved here and stayed here because we liked the way small towns operate, but you are pushing us out.
your all missing the point, its not the City!! its the girl who runs the department tring to justify a higher wage,, wheres the money gonna come from,, well guess what she just found it.
This lame brain leadership can be talked into anything, next thing you know we will have the trash guys chargeing a can tax if the trash can was purchased from outside the city,,,,, wait some idiot already attempted somthing like that
Hmmmm.. There are about 12,000 in town. 12,000 / 3 = 4,000 residences, more or less and 2,840 had a late charge? How many residential water services are there in town?
Does that mean 3 out of 4 have difficulty paying on the city's schedule?
That should raise some flags.
Why don't they have an online water bill payment system. They could get rid of some of the clerks and save the city a bunch of money!
Why don't they have an online water bill payment system. They could get rid of some of the clerks and save the city a bunch of money!
My brother went in to pay Monday. He had to pay the extra $100 because he arrived after 9am. His water was never turned off, but he still has to pay the $100.
My question is this... Is this a penalty charge or a service charge? If it is a service charge, why pay for a service not rendered? They never showed up to shut off his water or turn it back on. I told him to check into a lawyer.
It is a stupid no brainer. If you tighten the payment schedule, then there will be more people who fall through. If you raise the penalties, then there will be more people who have to pay because of the tightened schedule.
It sure seems intentional on the city's part to "trick" the residents into paying.
This is another case of the city wanting be a punitive profit center rather than serving the people of Ark City.
You start to see a pattern of the excessive and unreasonable crash tax, the water penalties that no other city in Kansas has, etc.
How and when did Ark City become so "mean-spirited" to its residents? It is all about city greed and control.
Ark City needs to look at the other cities for guidance. The penalty stuff? It's time to cut it out.
Punitive penalties as a profit center? Tricking residents into paying an unreasonable penalty through a tighter payment schedule? Geeze Louise. Ark City already pays one of the highest water rates in Kansas.
Who got the idea that you can charge unreasonable fees and rates? It really is the same thing as the crash tax.
Quit trying to cheat the residents of Ark City. It didn't work on the cash tax it won't work on the water penalty.
Make it the same as the average in other Kansas towns and be done with it.
crash tax
Yall coming to the town hall meeting tonight?
Greetings fellow shocked Arkies
Frist let me say that the clerks, nor the department manager came up with this. The Director of Administration stated at the Feb 2nd meeting (the one that went until 11:30) that he was the one that wrote this and when asked by Commissioner Smith if this was his program and if he is the one who set the fees and he said yes.
As for the fees assested to your brother, the wording is that if you have not submitted your payment by this time, your name shall be placed on the disconnect list. All who are on the disconnect list shall pay the $50 disconnect fee and the $50 reconnect fee. No exceptions.
If a service is paid for, should that service not be delivered?
If I had to pay $100, they better come out and actually do what was paid for. Id want them to come and shut it off, then shut it back on.
Fair is fair.
KAKE TV 316-946-1331
ask for Ben Bradley
new@ksn.com 316-292-1111
316-838-1212 KWCH
sic 'em Kanyon
Yes I'm coming to the meeting tonight. I worry for the families that are having the water shut off. We as adults are able to take care of ourselves, at least a good portion of us anyway! What about the children in the family. I would say this might raise some questions of health issues also. What if a person is not able to afford to get the water turned back on? They have no family to turn to. The kids go to school and complaints are brought up about how filthy and smelly the children are? How bout trash piling up? I know that this is extreme example, but more than likely to happen eventually. Has the city gotten so greedy and selfish to not think of the increasing numbers in layoffs lately and its not over yet. I haven't understood why they have not tried doing something like going by income for those struggling. If people are not paying the bill and trying to open a new account in someone elses name, then they need to stop and think, hey maybe people are doing that because they can't afford to pay the bill. Why when things are so bad for so many right now, the city has to make it worse? As far as I can see, they are shooting theirselves in the foot on this one.
At the Feb 2nd meeting I said to the commisssion and Director of Administration that 65 people had their water shut and I was told that it must be working it is down.
Well a short 21 days later 254 accounts are on that list. 254 of our neighbors and friends and family are on that list.
2840 accounts had a penalty assessed to their bills. I was told in early Jan of this year that the average was 400-600 were late paying. In late Jan it was reported by the Director of Administration that the we had a rise in late pays about 1600 were late.
Feb, 17th 2840 accounts were assessed a penalty. If the average bill is only $75 that little 5% penalty creates a little over $10,000, keep that in mind, not to mention the 254 people that have to pay an extra $100.
I was told if you have a record of good standing with the city then you can request they wave the fee. Is that true? If the city really needs money this bad why don't they put a larger franchise tax on something that everyone does not need such as cable tv?
I was told if you have a record of good standing with the city then you can request they wave the fee. Is that true?
>>
City says they will make arrangements with anyone who has a history of paying and wont charge the fee.
Archer just told me that there were people who came in between 9 and 9:30 who made arrangements to pay, and were not assessed the fee.
also city says there were 1350 late out of 5500 customers.
Damn Zach, don't give them anymore ideas. They are coming up with enough money grabs on their own.
Wish my average bill was only $75. I still am scratching my head even when my household is cutting down to see if we can lower it! The bill I'm paying now is what it used to cost me to fill my swimming pool several years back and I haven't even used the pool for 2 years now!
Zachs point is insteading of rasising fees on something needed, raise the fees of something we can actually live without.
Well, whoopdeedoo if the director of administation came up with this, where is the brains of the rest of the bunch to say, uh, I don't think that is a wise idea. Hmmm....seems to me the rest of the bunch went along with the plan!
Quite frankly, I do not see why a compromise could not be reached in this matter.
People need to pay their bills on time if they are able. I think the city should charge a reasonable late fee (1% of total bill) for those who choose to pay late.
Those who are actually unable to pay should be given an opportunity to file for an extension. An extension would waive the current bill for 30 days but divide the total owed, plus the late fee over the next six billing cycles. Those who choose NOT to file an extension would get their water turned off if the total payment, plus late fee was not received by the next billing due date.
In doing this, the city is being flexible but also expecting the resident to be proactive. 30 days is sufficient time for a person to prioritize their financial situation.
To target those customers who are deemed risky for non-payment require a deposit for service, instead of charging a service fee for turning on/off water. This protects the city from non-payment and doesn't penalize all residents.
Why couldn't something like this work?
@bytedaily
Sounds more like what we need to me
I would,'t take thhe city's word for anything unless you see the report for yourself.
I just left the city water dept. 5 mins ago, here are the numbers. Jan, 1360 accounts were charged a penalty. Feb 17 2840 accounts were charged a penalty.
Also once your name is oo the disconnection list they don't waive the fee. No exceptions.
You can aviod being on the list by making arrangements ahead of time. But after your name is on the list which the list was done yesterday after the morning mail. They allowed anyone that came in before the list was done was not assessed the fee. Which accounts for the statement that people who came in at 9-9:30 were not assessed the fee. I was sitting io the water department watching at that time.
@February 24, 2009 7:33 AM
Now that's just cold-hearted. Give the man his money back.
We all know that there are people in our town who will not understand all the "fine print" built into this. My goodness, why are we doing this? WHY?
Archer just told me that there were people who came in between 9 and 9:30 who made arrangements to pay, and were not assessed the fee.
++++
It sounds like they were not waived, it's just that the city did not have their act together before 9am, so they let some slide. If you want people to be on time and be responsible, maybe you should be, too.
Still, I think they had better perform the act if they want to be paid for the service.
It is a good policy for private business. In those instances, folks choose whether or not they want the product or service.
Basic human needs should not be treated this way. There simply has to be another way and a more humane approach. Maybe ask animal control officers what they might do if a pet owner deprived the animal of water for a few days.
This is simply horrible public policy and exploitation of the economically challenged within our community. Those others who have posted, stop boasting about how well you handle your bills and take a check to the Salvation Army or to your church benevolence fund. Have a heart folks.
Robber baron is a term that revived in the 19th century in the United States as a reference to businessmen and bankers who dominated their respective industries and amassed huge personal fortunes, (Like $25K in fees in one day)typically as a direct result of pursuing various anti-competitive or unfair business practices. The term may now be used in relation to any businessman or banker who is perceived to have used questionable business practices or scams in order to become powerful or wealthy (placing them in power of everything having controlled most business affairs.)
The term derives from the medieval German lords who illegally charged exorbitant tolls against ships traversing the Rhine river (see robber baron). There has been some dispute over the term's origin and use. It was popularized by U.S. political and economic commentator Matthew Josephson during The Great Depression in a 1934 book. He attributed its first use to an 1880 anti-monopoly pamphlet in which Kansas farmers applied the term to railroad magnates. The informal term captains of industry may sometimes be used to avoid the negative connotations of "robber baron". Recently the term "Robber 'Boomer' Baron" has been used to describe the undisciplined greed of financial 'robbers' during the financial meltdown in 2008 and 2009.
PAY YOUR BILL ON TIME AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FEE'S.
Anonymous said: PAY YOUR BILL ON TIME AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FEE'S.
Tell it to the bankers and the auto makers. Tell it to the State of Kansas. Tell it to all those folks who have the right and liberty to reach into another pool of money when they run a bit short. You know, like the ones who can bump the price of gasoline 2x or 3x to obtain their goal. Maybe like the folks who bumped the price of chocolate by 30% to cover costs. Or just maybe like those department heads at City Hall in Ark City who didn't get their budget right and are trying to balance the books on the backs of the citizens. Maybe they should just be more responsible with their (er uh excuse me our) money in the first place and then they wouldn't have to gouge the citizens for more.
Maybe they should look at consolidating the Dir of Administration, the City clerk and City Treasurer positions. Many cities of similar size have only one person doing those tasks. That would save nearly $150K by eliminating two salaries and teh benefits that go along with them.
And that savings would not be limited to only one year, neither would it be in jeopardy if everyone did pay their bills on time.
Why are the citizens, the taxpayers, the only ones who are ALWAYS expected to do more with less?
@February 24, 2009 1:29 PM
"Those others who have posted, stop boasting about how well you handle your bills and take a check to the Salvation Army or to your church benevolence fund. Have a heart folks."
I couldn't say it any better, so, I'll just quote if you don't mind.
A hearty AMEN!
PAY YOUR BILL ON TIME AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FEE'S.
February 24, 2009 1:40 PM
Can you have any 'less heart', I mean ....come on. Open your eyes...100$ and they haven't even turned the water off. Sad, Sad, Sad.
Kanyon, thanks for being concerned about people. Perhaps you should apply for that administration position.
I can't wait until some of you get laid off and can't pay your water bills. You think working at Wal-mart is a secure job??? People are hurting everywhere. It may not be long until you who pay bills are those who cannot. When that day comes you will regret your words today. You will be thanking people like Kanyon. You'll be thanking those who opened their pockets and helped the Salvation Army. That day might not be far from any of us.
Anonymous said...
I can't wait until some of you get laid off and can't pay your water bills. You think working at Wal-mart is a secure job??? People are hurting everywhere. It may not be long until you who pay bills are those who cannot. When that day comes you will regret your words today. You will be thanking people like Kanyon. You'll be thanking those who opened their pockets and helped the Salvation Army. That day might not be far from any of us.
The problem is that the folks who are a bit insensitive about the financially disadvantaged folks ( y family was called "poor folks" when I was a child but that is politically incorrect today) are not the ones making this policy.
No matter how bad the ecnomy gets, the ones who authored this policy (and who should put their nameon it like gramm rudman et al)have the ability to increase the mill levy or assess an even greater fee to maintain both their job and their comfortable salary.
They are insulated by the power and authority of government and by the elected officials who in just a couple of hours will passionately defend tehm rather than advocate for the folks who elected them.
In arkansas city's version of the gramm rudman act, gramm recently rejoined the city and serves as a department head. Rudman kind of hides behind the scenes having been recently promoted and given a hefty increase in pay.
Local government, it seems cannot afford to keep both of these on the payroll without a new revenue stream (say $125K to $150K per year) for salary and benefits.
hence, a repeal might result in reorganizing and making the two jobs into one. That is something the City Commission cannot do but they can strongly recommend of their lone employee, the City Manager.
Or, they could say, "Let's just fund these two positions on the less fortunate citizens of the community."
So many choices.
Which way shall they go?
I talked to some people who live in Winfield and they can't believe what we pay for water. I didn't even bother to tell them about the disconnect fee, etc.
So, who is A.C. much higher than Winfields' water?
I hope, and yes even pray for some compassion to prevail.
I really do not want to see people having to pay this $100 extra. I think that if they are having a hard time coming up with the actual bill, 60,70,or 90, how in the world do we think they can afford $100 extra.
The harsh reality is: folks are already struggling. We must learn that we cannot lump everyone into the same category. Times are hard. That 5 day period has got to be the biggest and the worst joke played on mankind.
I am amazed that the City would want to do that to their citizens.
And why?????
You've let workers go and so have other employers. It is not in this manner that people should be treated. Now, we let some go, and yet we take nice and big, totally outrageous raises.
Again... Why??
The answer: 'Because we can' and the other -- 'We simply don't care'
Either way, it's doesn't make 'good sense' to hurt the people that you say you want to help. I hurt for the people who cannot pay.
I'm sure that there are some who are deadbeats, but realistically there are others who are upon very hard times, and we should not be willing to be the ones who push them off the cliff.
Think on it...please!
And let us all pray for things to turn around.
Thank you for listening!
Two articles on the recession - take note of the headlines and dates.
First this http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/24/bernanke-offers-fed-tools-stem-recession/
Then this
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090224/bs_nm/us_usa_fed_bernanke_8
Simply put......give us an online payment option, and many will not have to scramble to pay their bill. Just make if simple. And also consider a 10% discount for the ones of us who managed to find a stamp or drive happy little hind ends down the city building, any pay our bills on time.
Kanyon way to stand up for the people at the meeting. The live chat was nothing but praise!!!
Even the worst credit card companies don't have fee's like this!
HuGE NEWS COMING STAY TUNED IN ABOUT 75 MINS THERE WILL BE VERY COOL NEWS
As I listened to everyone at the meeting last night I only observed One Commissioner arguing for the citizens of Ark City. Scott Margolius. My Kudos to him. He seems to be the only one brave enough to stand up to the other commissioners. I was affected by the water bill. We pay all utilities will my husbands Social Security Check. We receive it around 20th to the 25th. So usually I have to pay the late fee which I do not mind. I have NEVER not paid. But this month my bill cost us 192 dollars. Pretty bad for a household of two. If they change it are they going to reimberse us the $100? If the city does not start working for the citizens, more of us are going to be forced to move to a town that does.
Yes, Scott has been standing up for the citizens lately. I think he is a fine commissioner and hope he is re elected.
Thanks for standing up for the citizens of AC, Kanyon.
Scott is a wolf in sheeps clothing! Behind the scenes his not working for you. He is working for himself! Dont be misguided by his mystical powers. There are plenty of fees he would like to put upon us. He is waiting until after the election!
The members of the city Commission announced that the city is wanting contact with people who got their water shut off and seeing if they can help work this out. They will of course rework this water bill ordin. out at the March meeting but for now they are trying to help peole get their water back on. Even if yesterday you were told no call again and see if they can help you. The city commission has become very pro active in working this out for the citizens
Call the city water billing if you are on the disconnect list or currently have your water shut off.
441-4401
Yep, Scott's wife will not allow him to be controversial in any way. She has her plans mapped out, and his actions will only project a squeaky clean air. Watch his voting record, he will only dissent if his vote does not change the outcome.
Scott was controversial last night.
Argumentative even.
And he was controversial in the paper Monday.
Just sayin ...
Bad choice of words. How about "anti-common man"
Well, we have fought a good fight and it looks like it is almost complete. On Monday night the commissioners will finalize a new water bill ordinance and on tues they will put it into law.
There are none amoung us that wannt to see people abuse the system, but having said that there are also none amoung us that will tolerate the system abusing the citizens.
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