Washington’s City Council, during its meeting Monday, will consider changing the city’s policy regarding deposits for residential electric service.
The proposed change surfaced briefly during the council’s June 13 meeting. If approved, the changes take effect July 1.
Under the proposal, any person applying for electric service to a residence will have his or her credit checked through the Online Utility Exchange service. That credit information, history of usage at the residence and the following schedules will be used to determine if a deposit will be charged and, if so, the amount:
• Owners without electric heat, $50;
• Owners with electric heat, $100;
• Tenants without electric heat, $100;
• Tenants with electric heat, $125.
At the city’s discretion, two-twelfths average annual charges based on the utility billing history of the residence may be required as a deposit.
After applying the aforementioned criteria, deposits will be capped as follows:
• Residential electric deposits will be capped at $200 if the customer provides his or her Social Security number;
• Residential electric deposits will be capped at $300 if the customer does not provide his or her Social Security number.
The proposal also allows the city to increase a deposit or require a new deposit, at the city’s discretion, after a customer’s third failure to pay a bill in a timely manner, having electric service terminated for nonpayment or having a check or draft returned because of insufficient funds or a closed account.
The proposal also addresses deposits for commercial electric customers. Details of that section of the proposal are available by downloading the agenda for the council’s Monday meeting. (See last paragraph for details on how to download the agenda.)
The council is expected to discuss car allowances and travel bonuses for city department heads. Currently, eight department heads receive a monthly car allowance of $350.
Councilman Doug Mercer has suggested doing away with those car allowances, instead paying all department heads the going IRS mileage rate, which is 51 cents per mile. At the council’s June 13 meeting, Mercer said the method is a more-equitable way to compensate department heads who use their personal vehicles to conduct city business.
The City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St. The agenda for the council’s meeting may be viewed by visiting the city’s website: www.ci.washington.nc.us.