Some upset over Winder gas bills

Four of the city’s natural gas customers other than Pierce called the Barrow Journal to complain about their bills. Most said their neighbors also were up in arms and were dissatisfied with the explanations they were getting from city staff.

Those complaining said they were billed for up to 10 extra days of gas service, which is the equivalent of one-third of the next billing cycle; that they were given only about 10 days to pay the higher bills before incurring late fees; and that while the city would allow them to spread out their payments, they were told they could not escape the late fee on any overdue balance.

When asked about those concerns, city administrator Bob Beck said that the bills were higher not only because of the cold weather, but also because of a staffing shortage that was outside the city’s control.

The supervisor of the meter readers was injured in an accident on Dec. 30, and one of his employees was killed Jan. 15 in a motorcycle wreck, he said.

“While we have made temporary transfers from other departments to accommodate the shortage of personnel, they are not as efficient or as knowledgeable as the people they replaced,” Beck said. “The situation this year is an anomaly and in no way a result of the reorganization of the City last year.”

He said the city would work with customers who could not pay all of their February bills on time.

"The City is and has been working with customers to make payment arrangements that include reduction or elimination of late fees and a spreading of the charges over a period of time," Beck said.