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Panama City to study credits, policy after meter-antenna failures left some residents with large estimated bills
Summary
City staff said antennas on water meters degraded during supply interruptions and led to prolonged estimated billing for customers; staff will investigate crediting payments, possible forgiveness and managed-service options for meter lifecycle maintenance.
Panama City commissioners and staff discussed estimated water billing tied to failing meter antennas and asked staff to return with a policy and cost estimates, including a potential managed-service arrangement with Core & Main.
Why it matters: Multiple residents were reportedly placed on estimated billing when meter antennas failed or replacements were delayed; some accounts reportedly showed arrearages of more than $2,000. Commissioners said the city should consider credits or forgiveness for customers who were billed based on city equipment failures and asked staff to draft a policy limiting look-back periods for estimated charges.
Most-important details - Commissioners described supply-chain and COVID-era delays in replacing meter antennas as the proximate cause for extended estimated billing periods. - One commissioner urged that payments already made by residents on payment plans be credited back to accounts and that remaining balances be forgiven in cases where the city’s equipment caused the estimation; staff will review bond-covenant implications because the water system is supported by two bondholders (staff named SRF and indicated another bank, “Trist,” by memory). - Staff noted Core & Main (vendor) offers a managed-service option that would manage meters, MXUs and lifecycle replacement; Janice said she is investigating cost and scope with the vendor. - Commission directed staff to return with a formal estimated-billing policy (example policy limiting back-billing to one month was referenced by a commissioner) and cost estimates for a managed-service approach. - No vote or ordinance was adopted at the workshop.
Discussion vs. direction - Discussion: The technical causes (antenna failures, COVID supply issues), the existing billing practice and whether the city or the customer bears liability for extended estimated billing. - Direction: Staff to draft and return with a proposed policy limiting historical back-billing and outlining how to handle accounts on payment plans; staff to obtain vendor-managed-service cost estimates from Core & Main; staff to consult bondholders regarding any forgiveness or account-credit approach. - No formal action or vote recorded.
Quotes “If we did this, would it ruin our standing with our bonds? And we think we think the answer to that is gonna be no,” a commissioner said when describing staff outreach to bondholders (SRF and one other bank referenced by name in the meeting). Janice noted, “Core and Main … have a managed service where they do this for us. They manage the meters. They manage the life cycle replacement.”
Ending Staff agreed to return with a written estimated-billing policy, legal review regarding bond covenants, and vendor cost estimates for a managed meter service so the commission can consider whether to credit or forgive affected balances and to improve meter lifecycle maintenance.
