By Stephen Smoot
“We know last month’s bills didn’t arrive in a timely manner and are keeping our fingers crossed this month goes better,” read a Facebook post from the Hardy County Public Service District last week.
Logan Moyers with the PSD urged customers to have patience, explaining that an out-of-state processing facility has had troubles in recent months processing bills. “The blame for this does not fall on our local post office,” he emphasized.
The Facebook post shared that the PSD has requested guidance “in an effort to do anything we can possibly do to improve service delivery for our bills.” Postal Service representatives advised that they “switch the perforation on our bills from a vertical perforation to a horizontal perforation because the USPS sorting equipment does better with horizontal perforation.
Late bill delivery created issues for a number of customers, up to and including the charging of late fees for bill payment. Public service districts and municipal water are governed by strict rules imposed by the West Virginia Public Service Commission. They may not waive late fees or risk having an inaccurate audit as well as the sanctions that come from that.
Moyers recommends that customers explore the “many avenues” established for payment to the Hardy County PSD.
One method that he encouraged was for customers to sign up for email delivery of bills. Although some do not use online services, including email, the majority do. Emailed bills go out on the same day as those mailed. Even bills reaching residences and businesses on time via the Postal Service will come days after delivery of emailed bills.
Another way of avoiding mailed billing and late fees lies in allowing an automatic debit from a bank account monthly. All customers would have the payment come out on the 20th of each month.
Customers may also drop a check off to pay their bills with staff during business hours or through a drop box that is always accessible to provide payment.
Moyers explained that customers can pay with a credit or debit card in person or over the phone. That said, public water providers are required by the PSC to charge a $1.75 processing fee for bills under $100 and $2.75 for those over. Again, the PSC mandates the collection of these fees that are charged by the card companies in the first place. Non collection would result in inaccurate audits and sanctions.
An inquiry made to the Town of Franklin in neighboring Pendleton County revealed that they saw issues in the past, but are not facing major issues recently.
