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Officials explain Clyde utility billing and shutoff process after social-media concern; AMI may give customers near‑real‑time usage data
Summary
Council discussed the city’s utility billing cycle, shutoff timeline, reconnection fees and payment arrangements; staff described available online and automatic payment options and said the AMI project will enable near-real-time customer meter data.
After a wave of social-media posts about threatened utility shutoffs, city staff explained Clyde’s billing and shutoff process and available customer options at the March 18 council meeting.
Utility staff described the schedule: bills are produced around the 5th of the month and are due on the 20th; the city’s shutoff day is the Wednesday following the second Tuesday after the due date. Customers have until 4 p.m. on the Tuesday before shutoff to avoid disconnection. If a late payment brings an account to $50 or less by that 4 p.m. deadline, the city will not assess the $75 reconnection fee; any balance above $50.00 at that cutoff point triggers the $75 fee regardless of whether reconnection occurs. Staff said customers may set up one payment arrangement every six months and are encouraged to contact the utility office before shutoff to arrange payment plans.
Staff also described payment channels: automatic bank draft (in place for many years), online payments introduced during COVID, credit-card/third-party options (which carry processing fees passed to customers) and the option to receive bills by email on the production date. A billing staff member explained that the night drop is emptied at 4 p.m. and staff review late payments the next morning to determine final shutoff lists.
Council members asked about winter shutoffs and opportunities for discretion; staff said the city does not have a seasonal prohibition on shutoffs but that payment arrangements are available. Councilman Chris Shea recounted receiving a warning about his own account and said he enrolled in automatic payments.
Staff reiterated that the AMI rollout approved in the same meeting should allow customers to view near‑real‑time meter information and monitor usage spikes, and they encouraged customers to contact the utility office early to avoid reconnection fees. No formal action was taken; staff said they will continue public communication and accept payment-arrangement requests.
