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Bolivar board invites Liberty Utilities to explain franchise fees and sales-tax calculations
Summary
After staff said Liberty Utilities' written reply did not fully address franchise-fee and sales-tax discrepancies, the board voted to invite Liberty executives to the next meeting and asked staff to prepare specific bills and attempt a preparatory staff-level meeting before the public session.
The Bolivar Board of Aldermen voted to invite representatives of Liberty Utilities to the next council meeting to answer questions about franchise-fee accounting and the company’s calculation of sales-tax components.
Staff presented a letter and email from Liberty Utilities that the city said did not resolve questions about franchise fees or sales-tax allocations. "They did, briefly touch on the sales tax...and according to what they believe...to their records, everything is correct," staff said, adding that Liberty’s reply lacked the level of explanation the board had requested.
Several council members pushed for Liberty executives to attend a public meeting so residents could ask questions. One alderman moved to extend an invitation; the motion passed by voice vote. The board also instructed city staff—specifically Thomas and Don—to attempt a preliminary, staff-level meeting with Liberty and to provide Liberty with a list of specific customer bills and topics the board expects to be addressed so the company can prepare.
Council members differed about process. Some argued for behind-the-scenes staff work with Liberty to agree on an accounting method before a public appearance; others said public scrutiny is appropriate given longstanding resident complaints. One member noted the prior PSC investigation into the utility’s billing software issues and asked staff to leverage those records where possible.
The board’s intent is to surface whether franchise fees and sales-tax allocations for Bolivar utility customers match city expectations and state Department of Revenue allocations and, if not, to identify corrective steps. The invitation is scheduled for the next meeting, and staff will return with a recommended list of bills/questions to give Liberty in advance.
