Marksville may ease up on 'get tough' policy on water bills

Marksville’s “get tough” policy on delinquent water bills may have been a little too tough, in the opinions of a room full of irate water customers at the March 8 City Council meeting.

Mayor John Lemoine said the city would make changes in the policy in light of citizens’ complaints, but will remain serious about collecting bills in a timely manner.

The first round of cutoffs under Marksville’s stricter policy occurred last Wednesday -- the day of the monthly City Council meeting. About 60 customers’ water was turned off during the day Wednesday.

Almost all of those paid their bill and had service restored before the end of the business day. Another 70 were cut off Thursday and most of those had paid their bill by Friday.

The city did not disconnect services on Friday to avoid the possibility of a customer coming home at 5 p.m. to find the water had been turned off, being unable to pay the bill to get it turned back on, and being without water over the weekend. The disconnection of about 500 delinquent bills was to continue this past Monday at a rate of about 60-75 per day.

Several Marksville Water Department customers complained to the council about what they said were extreme measures.

There was a report of one customer’s water being turned off because they were a penny overdue. According to that account, she went to the Water Department office and threw the penny at the clerk. When told she also owed a $25 re-connection fee, she suggested a suitable place to put her $25 check. It was not the cash drawer.

Other customers’ service was disconnected for being less than a dollar delinquent.

The city’s billing computer flagged every account that was delinquent, regardless of the amount.

Water Department employees either did not look at the amount owed or did not want to go out on a limb and “scratch off” an address with just a small amount due.

There was at least one restaurant whose service was disconnected during the business day.

In addition to complaints of water being turned off for miniscule amounts, some customers said they were insulted by their bill being stamped with a warning that service would be disconnected if the bill is not paid by the 8th of the month.

“I always pay my water bills on time,” Connie Gagnard said. “I was insulted by that stamp on my water bill saying I would be disconnected if it is not paid by March 8.”

Councilman Clyde “Danny” Benson, who has become Lemoine’s chief critic on the council in past months, said he was also insulted by the disconnection warning on his bill. He said the problem lies solely with the mayor.

“Maybe we need a new mayor,” Benson added.

Gagnard said Water Department employees told her that the mayor instructed them to stamp every bill.

Later in the week, Lemoine said he was unaware that all bills were stamped with the disconnection warning. He said the stamp should only be put on those bills that are already overdue.

Lemoine said the cut-off policy was recommended by the city’s auditor and approved by the City Council.

“Just pay your bill,” Lemoine said.

“I pay my bill,” Gagnard yelled, adding that she has never been late with a payment.

Water Department employee Petrick Lavalais said the stricter policy has resulted in more work and more stress for those employees, but they are handling both the additional work assignments and stress.

“The public doesn’t like it,” Lavalais said, “but I hope they understand.”

There had been comments in past meetings that the city had to stop letting customers go months and months with past due bills.

“If they owe, they owe” and “don’t play favorites” were watch words of the new policy.

There were calls this past week to season the “zero tolerance” policy with a dash of common sense.

Lemoine said the Friday after the meeting that Water Department employees would be instructed not to disconnect customers “owing a few dollars, $5, $10,” but said the public has to understand the city must collect payment in a timely manner.

He said he will also discuss with the council members the possibility of giving a $25 credit on the next water bill for customers who were disconnected for owing small amounts and paid the $25 re-connection fee.