I saw on Next Door the City requires people to handle all utility transactions, such as establishing or transferring service, in person at City Hall. No other utility requires this. Is there some other way to handle it?
Actually, this is not entirely correct. Service can be established, discontinued or transferred via email as long as proper identification and the highest tier deposit ($200) is provided. When making these transactions in person at City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave., identification can be verified, but this is not the case when attempting to do so via telephone or email.
“This policy was implemented several years ago after many, many instances of fraud,” said Utility Billing Supervisor Tammy Hudgens. “This not only resulted in lost funds but also inconvenienced people who were victims of the fraud.”
The types of fraud perpetrated include people establishing or discontinuing service and giving an incorrect address — resulting in service being discontinued for the wrong household — as well as people using the identification of deceased relatives or others to avoid paying past or current utility bills, and others who deliberately arrange for service to be discontinued for another, unsuspecting utility customer.
“We were experiencing some type of fraud two or three times a month, on average,” Hudgens said. “That’s why we implemented this policy.”
Why are these customers required to pay the top tier deposit? Because without ID, it’s prudent to have some type of assurance their bill will be paid, Hudgens said.
“It typically takes about two months to discontinue service for non-payment,” she said. “When this happens, we pay the bill with the deposit money and refund the account holder any funds that are left over. That said, if someone can’t come to City Hall to set up service, they could do it by email and pay the $200 deposit, and get that deposit back at a later time, when they can visit City Hall in person, assuming their credit fits with a lower tier deposit.”
Documents required to establish, discontinue or transfer service are a driver’s license and proof of ownership or a lease agreement, Hudgens said.
“We require this because too many times in the past people have called and set up service with the wrong address to discontinue it a few days later just to get back at someone,” she said. “That’s why we require some type of proof that the account holder actually lives at or owns the property.”
Hudgens said larger utility companies have a broader capacity to collect on unpaid debts because they have a wider reach, while the City of Bartlesville has no way to recoup funds if the account holder moves outside the city.
“We want to make things as easy as possible for our customers,” said Chief Financial Officer and City Clerk Jason Muninger. “We review our policies as new technologies and opportunities become available, and these policies are no exception. Obviously, some type of identification verification will always be required, but we will continue to explore new options for improvement and make adjustments accordingly. But for now, these policies have proven successful for reducing fraud and, ultimately, saving money for Bartlesville taxpayers.”
Discount Tire: Construction still set to resume in August
I heard on Next Door the City is to blame for Discount Tire stopping construction of the store at Silver Lake Village. Is that correct?
No, it’s not. In the May 20, 2019, edition City Beat reported the latest word from Discount Tire Co. regarding construction of the new store at Silver Lake Village Shopping Center, located on Adams Boulevard east of Silver Lake Road, was halted by the company which issued this statement to the City’s Community Development Department:
“Per our strategic plan, we plan to open the store in Silver Lake Village in the 4th Quarter of 2019.”
The Community Development Department was advised at that time that construction would resume in August.
According to Chief Building Official Trey Yankovich, nothing has changed since that time.
“We haven’t received any updated information since Discount Tire Company announced it was halting construction until August,” Yankovich said. “There are no issues on the City’s end regarding construction. They are free to resume at any time.”