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Del City residents press council over confusing water bills; town hall planned
Summary
Residents told the Del City council that utility bills showed accounts "behind" despite on‑time payments and urged clearer communication; council members and staff said meter‑reading schedules and system updates contribute to timing discrepancies and scheduled a fall town hall to explain billing and accept questions.
During public comment at the Oct. 20 Del City City Council meeting, resident Ken Harton of 4736 Meech Drive pressed officials on why his water account and others showed as behind despite on‑time payments dating to January 2020. "How do you get behind when people are paying on time, every single month?" Harton asked, seeking an explanation and asking how to put the matter on a future agenda.
Councilman Dean and city staff said meter‑reading patterns and recent accounting-system updates can create apparent lags. Dean described how staggered meter‑reading schedules can shift bill cycles and produce delays; the council and staff said they have been updating the city’s systems to reduce that timing mismatch. City Manager JD told the meeting that billing questions will be a specific topic at an upcoming fall town hall, and the city will offer tabletop sessions at the event where residents can review their accounts with staff.
Harton also asked the council to place a request for a state audit covering city finances back to 2020; the mayor responded that Del City has had two audits this year but accepted Harton’s request for it to be placed on a future agenda. City staff offered to meet privately with Harton and said staff including the city manager and utility staff would participate.
Why it matters: multiple residents testified that confusion about billing cycles and fees is eroding trust. The council scheduled a public‑discussion agenda item for the Nov. 3 regular meeting to examine city‑to‑citizen communication, and staff said the fall town‑hall session will include utility billing assistance, which is the next procedural step for resolving individual account questions.
