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Utility board weighs changing autopay setup after customers were cut off when cards expired
Summary
The board discussed complaints after customers lost service because debit or credit cards linked to autopay had expired. Members proposed requiring ACH/checking-account drafts, running exception reports, and charging late-notice costs to the accounts that generate them; staff will ask the vendor for options and return next month.
The Harswell Trousers Sewer Utility Board discussed whether to change its autopay policies after customers had water service interrupted when payment cards expired.
A committee member raised the issue during new business after complaints appeared on social media, saying the shutoffs resulted when debit cards tied to autopay expired. "My idea was if we could just come out and say, hey. Look. You're gonna do all the draft. It has to be directly from your checking account, not a card that can expire," the member said, arguing a draft from a checking account is less likely to fail.
Board members and staff explained how the current payment processor (TransLink) handles…
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