High Springs makes utility billing changes official

High Springs residents can expect to see new due dates on their water and refuse bills starting in November. And those who might not manage to make their payment on time will notice that late fees have been cut in half.

What began with one High Springs woman’s plea to the commission in late June quickly grew into a controversial issue evoking responses across the community. The debate over what constitutes a fair and justified late fee on city utility bills, as well as questions regarding payment schedules and shut-off policies, became topics of discussion at several subsequent commission meetings.

Lauren Curry, the High Springs resident who originally raised the issue, said she would have kept pushing the issue until she got results. She didn’t expect to get them so quickly.

“I’m pretty pleased.”

Now, about two months later, the city has made an official decision. During an Aug. 26 meeting, commissioners ultimately agreed, not without some reservations, to amend the former $10 late fee for water bills, and the former $10 late fee for refuse (garbage) bills, to $5 each.

For customers who only receive refuse service, the late fee that should have been charged up until this change goes into effect was $10, though some citizens, including High Springs Mayor Bill Coughlin, said they were charged $20. Now it should only be $5.

“I am happy to see the late fees reduced,” said Curry, “but the fact remains that people were overcharged in the past for refuse, and that money needs to be refunded.”

The commission also opted to change the due date for utilities bills from the 15th of the month to the 21^st of the month.

The city will also offer an after-hours reconnection option for water at a charge of $50, which will cover employees’ overtime rates.

Commissioner John Hill said he still objects to lowering the late fees, but was in favor of the billing schedule changes and the after-hours reconnection option. He voted in favor of adopting the resolution that will amend the fees and institute the reconnection procedure, and the measure passed unanimously.

A separate ordinance was proposed to amend the due dates, which the city attorney Tom DePeter explained was a housekeeping action in order to enact all the changes at once and keep them on the books together in one place.

This ordinance was approved unanimously on first reading, and it will be brought before the commission again in September to afford the opportunity for public input, after which the commission will have the option to adopt it on second reading.

DePeter explained that everything is scheduled to go into effect Oct. 1, allowing for the second reading of the billing schedule ordinance. Subsequently, the first billing cycle to reflect all changes would be in November.

Curry said the process of dealing with city government has left her “cautiously optimistic.” She intends to continue to participate and follow this issue especially closely.

The experience, she said, was a lot like remodeling a home. “I’m glad I did it, and I like the results, but it wasn’t fun and I never want to have to do it again.”