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Refuse contractor Flood Brothers apologizes for Cary billing and vows fixes
Summary
Flood Brothers told Cary trustees it missed a 45‑day billing batch and underbilled one cart size during a rate change; the company credited fees and described new quality controls.
Flood Brothers customer service manager Patrick Flood told the Village of Cary Committee of the Whole on May 20 that the company missed a special 45‑day invoice batch and underbilled one cart size during a contract rate adjustment, causing billing errors for some residents.
The missed mailings occurred after Flood Brothers moved invoice printing to an outside vendor, Flood said. "We sincerely value our partnership with the village and take full responsibility for the errors that occurred," he told trustees. The company credited all late fees and return fees to impacted customers and said it had implemented new vendor verifications and internal cross‑checks.
The work that caused the first problem took place during the September–November billing cycle, Flood said, and affected Cary because the village uses a 45‑day due date that requires a separate batch of invoices. He said the vendor failed to print or mail that batch and Flood Brothers discovered the error only after a rise in past‑due balances and customer calls.
A second issue coincided with the annual contract rate adjustment in December–February. Flood said one cart‑size offering continued to be billed at the old rate; March–May invoices combined the corrected rate with the prior underbilling. Flood Brothers said it mailed explanatory postcards with the March bills and expanded customer support to answer questions.
At the meeting, a trustee thanked Flood for accepting responsibility and asked why Cary uses a 45‑day billing cycle. Flood explained that most municipalities use a 30‑day or 20‑day cycle and that Cary’s 45‑day cycle is unique in the company’s municipal portfolio; he said Flood Brothers has implemented a direct confirmation process with its printer to prevent a repeat.
No formal board action was taken; staff and the contractor discussed operational fixes and communications to customers. Flood Brothers said the June bill had been reviewed and reflected the correct quarterly rate.
