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Live Oak residents, business owner complain of high utility bills, allege double sewer charge
Summary
Residents and a local restaurateur told the council they were billed unusually high water and sewer charges — including an allegation that the sewer portion was charged at double the meter amount — and called for a policy review and clearer communication from city staff.
Residents and a business owner told the City Council of the City of Live Oak on Feb. 25 that they are facing unusually high water and sewer charges and want the council to address billing policies and communication.
Mardine Williams, who identified herself as living at 18 Hamilton Avenue NE, said her bills rose sharply in recent months. "In December, I got a 200 and some dollar dollar water bill," Williams said, adding an earlier bill had been "like, 97, I think, 41." Williams said that when she called utilities to ask why her sewer portion was so high she was told, "Oh, we just charged double." The resident asked the council to investigate discrepancies in utility bills and to consider policy changes.
Shanice Brown, owner of Green Fork Kitchen, said her business’s utilities were shut off Nov. 6 after a 24-hour shutoff order citing building safety. Brown told the council that subsequent billing conversations put her account balance at "almost 1000 dollars" because her account had not been put on "vacation mode." She said she has not received responses to emails about the matter since November. Brown also alleged that "Mister Sessions has personally been out to my business with the state, walking around" the premises while her enquiries went unanswered.
Speakers at the meeting framed the concerns as a policy issue for the city to review; council participants said they had heard similar reports from other residents and businesses and recommended a fuller discussion. No formal council action on utility billing was recorded in the transcript; public commenters asked the council to examine billing procedures, customer-notification practices, and the process for placing accounts in vacation status.
The council did not resolve the billing disputes at the meeting; councilors suggested scheduling a policy discussion or workshop so staff can provide details and explore possible remedies. The transcript does not record staff responses with technical billing explanations or an immediate plan to adjust charges.
