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Mount Pleasant council backs plan to shift utility billing mostly to paperless delivery
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Summary
City staff proposed moving monthly utility bills to paperless delivery to save roughly $17,000 annually, with exceptions for residents without internet and a multi-month notification period; council asked for consumer protections for seniors and leniency in shutoff enforcement during the transition.
City staff presented a plan April 14 to transition utility billing to an electronic (paperless) model, estimating annual savings of about $17,000 and proposing an August launch after a notification campaign.
Debbie (speaker 4), the staff presenter, told council the city currently mails roughly 1,400 bills each month and estimated the change would save near "$17,000 a year." She said the city will still mail paper copies to households that notify city hall they lack internet access and that staff will spend the next three months notifying customers about the change.
Council members supported the cost-saving goal but urged caution. One member asked for temporary leniency in shutoff policy during the transition and suggested proactive outreach to seniors and other residents who may miss a billing change. A council member recommended additional physical outreach for vulnerable households during the first months after the switch.
Staff said the newsletter and public-notice processes would continue via email and other channels and that the city uses a text-notification service as an additional outreach tool. The council set an internal target of implementing the paperless option on or around Aug. 1 and asked staff to return with a rollout plan that includes accommodations and a short-term grace period for payments. No vote was required for the informational presentation; staff will implement the outreach and report back.