Marion Town Hall

The Marion Board of Aldermen on Tuesday amended the town’s policy on water bills after some residents missed the due date and incurred extra fees.

Water bills for Marion residents are due on the 15th of each month, Mayor Larry Gill said. This month, that fell on a Sunday.

At 8 a.m. on the 16th of each month, Gill said, a list of accounts that are several months overdue is generated and given to the water department for disconnection.

“It doesn’t matter if they’ve cut you off or not yet,” he said. “You have to pay a $50 fee once that list goes out the door. The list goes out at 8 o’clock in the morning on the 16th.”

Gill said the problem came to light Monday when several residents were charged the $50 reconnection fee when they came to pay their bills at 8 a.m. He asked the board to approve amending the town’s policy to generate the disconnection list at 8 a.m. Tuesday when, and only when, the 15th of the month falls on a weekend.

“My proposal is that we change this for it to say that if the 15th falls on a weekend, it’s that Tuesday,” he said. “It’s not that first Monday. It doesn’t need to be that Monday. It needs to be Tuesday.”

Changing the policy would impact only a small number of residents, Gill said. Accounts being charged the $50 reconnection fee are already several months behind before they are put on the monthly disconnection list, he said.

Board Attorney Dustin Markham said the town would likely continue to see some accounts being habitually late, but changing the policy could help a some residents.

“The policy you’re making the adjustment for is one out of ten,” he said. “The other nine are the people who are habitually late and are looking for any type of leeway.”

Additionally, Alderman Stacy Blalock said, the 15th of the month only falls on a weekend two or three times each year.

“October is the next time the 15th falls on a weekend,” she said. 

For the residents charged this month, Gill said the town had already credited their accounts or refunded their money.

Changing the policy, Gill said, was a compromise to give residents behind in payments the most opportunities possible to pay their bill. Moving forward, he said, residents would be responsible for any late fees they incur.

“This is compromise,” he said. “This is giving another 24 hours to make the payment. We’re not going into it on Tuesday. They can’t get bailed out.”

Gill said the policy change would only affect those accounts eligible for disconnection. The due date and late fees printed on each resident’s monthly bill would not change.

“That doesn’t change,” he said.