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Seaford council approves residential budget‑billing program; public commenter urged the change
Summary
Council unanimously approved a residential budget‑billing option that spreads customer seasonal usage over a monthly plan; the vote follows a public comment asking the city to consider such plans for customers facing high winter electric bills.
Doctor Faye Powell, a Seaford resident who said she moved to Delaware last July, urged the council during public comment to consider a residential budget‑billing program after receiving unusually high winter electric bills. “I would like for the board to consider getting across the board payment plans, budget plans where people are able to possibly afford it,” Powell said, describing a bill spike from $1.89 to $2.35 (dollars per month amounts cited in transcript) for her two‑bedroom apartment and saying she had contacted city staff about the meter and usage.
Kathy Anger, a city utility staff member, presented a recommended budget‑billing policy to the council. Anger said the city has offered a budget plan in the past and that the utility now has billing systems to manage a program. Her recommendation: start enrollments in a low‑consumption month (May) using the prior 12 months of usage, divide that total by 10 and bill the resulting monthly amount for the budget season. Anger recommended account rules including that a utility account start at a zero balance (no arrears), that a customer be in “good standing” per the city ordinance, and that the customer have 12 months of billing history at the service address. She also recommended removing a customer from the program if they miss a payment or provide a returned check during the budget cycle.
The city manager confirmed that New Business Item 3 on the agenda—“a budget plan for the city”—was intended to address the same issue and that staff had spoken with the public commenter in advance. Staff told the council an application form and policy were prepared and could be posted to the city website promptly if the council approved the program.
Councilman Bradley moved to approve the budget‑billing program; Councilman Quillen seconded the motion. The council passed the program unanimously.
City staff said the program will be offered only to residential customers, that it is intended to reduce seasonal bill shocks and arrears, and that outreach materials and a one‑page application will be made available at City Hall and online. Staff noted the program is designed to limit the city’s exposure to unpaid balances—applicants must meet the good‑standing and billing‑history requirements and accounts with NSF checks or missed payments will be removed from the program. City staff also said previous enrollment in the program had been low (fewer than 12 accounts when the city ended the earlier iteration, around 2004) but that interest has increased this winter because of market conditions.
Council members thanked Dr. Powell for her remarks and said the policy would add a tool for assisting residents who face high seasonal bills.
