Saturday, August 6, 2022

Flashback: Cutting Off the Cutoffs

Warning: This post may be considered disinformation by the Lumumba Administration. 

What the hell is going on in Jackson? Readers may remember a year ago that Jackson was supposed to start cutting off delinquent water accounts.  JJ reported July 12, 2021

Under the agreement between Jackson and the Public Utilities Staff,  Jackson must cut off the moratorium on cutoffs that has been in place since May 2020 and collect what it can collect. Jackson can not cut off the cutoffs again unless federal or state authorities declare a state of emergency. The moratorium will expire on September 1.

The numbers tell the story of Jackson's water woes.  The city suffers nearly $40 million in uncollected water bills from 14,558 active accounts. Only $863,58 is disputed by active customers.  Jackson will start cutting off these delinquent accounts on September 1 if they do not enter installment plans as directed under HB #359.  

Another 16,903 accounts account for $43,362,105 in "inactive debt."  Jackson will hire several collection agencies to pursue payment from accounts that have a "potential for recovery" while the rest are moved over to a classification of "doubtful claims." Doing so permits Jackson's water/sewer accounts to reflect reality instead of arcane accounting rules.  In effect, this debt is a charge off but is not called a charge off. 

In addition to re-instituting cut-offs, the city will establish a minimum payment option for "stranded bills."  Many water/sewer customers do not receive bills.   Customers will enter a stranded bill program by March 1, 2022 if they are not receiving bills.  Earlier post.

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said at the July 12, 2021 press conference: 

 

The Northside Sun reported the same on July 27, 2021

The city of Jackson plans to resume water cut-offs on Sept. 1. 

“The mayor has agreed to lift the moratorium on disconnects on Sept. 1,” said Carla Dazet, deputy director of Public Works for the city.

“It’s critical. We have more than 14,000 customers not paying right now. Our collections are so bad right now that we’re not able to cover our bills."

The city should be collecting more than $6 million a month in revenue from water bills but it varies from $3 million to $5 million a month, she said.  Article.

Jackson leaders made a big deal about ending the cutoff moratorium a year ago.  However, the administration told the City Council's Ad-Hoc Water Committee Wednesday it would soon start cutting off delinquent accounts. Watch for yourself.

 

WLBT reported Wednesday: 

Jackson city leaders say they will begin to shut off customers for nonpayment beginning August 3.

Officials gave the Jackson City Council an update on all things water and sewer at a special ad-hoc committee meeting on Wednesday.

A good part of the meeting was spent discussing efforts to replace the city’s previous water billing system.

 “We’re in the process today of starting the first cut-offs, [which] we haven’t done in quite some time,” WSBA Deputy Director Chris Cockrell said. “Hopefully, that will encourage people to get on a payment plan.”... Article

 

Kingfish note: So what the hell has been going on for the last year? The Public Service Commission placed a moratorium on such cutoff's for 90 days in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.  However, the Lumumba Administration took it upon itself to quietly keep the moratorium in place.  The result? Water, sewer, and garbage operate at unprecedented deficits.  

 What exactly has been going on for the last year?  Did the city cut off the cutoffs yet again?  

 

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Roughly $43,000,000 from 1,700 accounts? That's around $25,000 each.

I'm guessing these are from businesses owned by out of state "investment groups" and such, which are responsible for a lot of the abandoned buildings and motels around. I'm sure they are on top of the property taxes also.

Good luck collecting from them.

Anonymous said...

I've been trying to get them to read my meter for over a year because they have been overestimating my usage. I've spoken to them three times with them promising a reading. Have they done it? Of course not. Maybe they'll take the time to read the meter when they come to cut off the service. Yeah, right.

Anonymous said...

Let the bankruptcy court sort it out. Just an issue between bond holders and the city.

Anonymous said...

Another day another unnecessary problem due to incompetence and another example of why the state will never, ever, ever give the leaders of Jackson a blank check

Anonymous said...

I am confident in saying that one of Chowke's spin doctors will shed some light, right?

Anonymous said...

Come on man. You know that answer. In case you don’t, here you go:

THEY DONT KNOW WHOS PAYING AND WHO ISNT! They have no clue, so how are they going to choose who to cut off?

Anonymous said...

Between turbids and low pressure events Jackson water appears to be worth what lots of people are paying for it. Nothing!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a libertarian paradise. What can go wrong with a voluntary payment system. Next step is for business owners to opt out of Paying Jackson’s share of the sales taxes.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor also said his administration was one of the most transparent. Yet the crime reports have never returned.

He talks a lot and says nothing.

Anonymous said...

This comedy called “Jackson.”

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if Richard’s has been paid?

Anonymous said...

well—with so many having to buy bottled water for most everything, why pay for dirty booboo water anyway..

Anonymous said...

"Another day another unnecessary problem due to incompetence and another example of why the state will never, ever, ever give the leaders of Jackson a blank check."

Lumumba apologists.....read this again.

Kingfish said...

Well, the legislature and Tate got together and moved qualifying back to Feb 1. That didn't help. Lumumba had no serious opposition on the ballot. Harvey didn't have serious opposition on the ballot but the next time he got beat and he got beat again after his third term. No retread going to beat him. It would have to be someone younger and a little fresher with some real money.

Anonymous said...

Notice that the "free" bottled water isn't the cheap stuff, but rather Dasani and Fiji, etc? I haven't seen any Costco brand. Nothing but the best for the sheeple who keep electing Chowke, right?

Kingfish said...

That Kroger is not going anywhere. Kroger just spent a bunch of money redoing the floors. That pharmacy is killing it with the drive thru. It's bigger than all but the Madison Kroger. Parking lot is full all the time. It's staying put.

Anonymous said...

Simply put, the mayor and his ideological ilk do not believe that people should have to pay for water because they believe the basic necessities (an ever changing list based on the widespread usage of something by the public) of life should be available free of charge to those they deem deserving. Now, they haven't figured a way to make that work long-term. But, they have instituted their beliefs in the short term. And that's about all there is to this.

Anonymous said...

This no where near an accurate accounting.

The problem is that the "bills" are inaccurate. Working off memory, but around 2015-2017, when Seimens was replacing the meters, the billing duplicated 6-8 months of billing for many accounts. They billed estimated usage for 6-8 months, read the meters once, then billed for actual usage during those same 6-8 months in one month.

Some accounts might have been longer. Then, because those bills were high, those accounts were surcharged for over-usage, increasing the bills more and THEN???? estimated billing was based off of that "usage", so those accounts were being billed for estimates that were not even close to usage AND were being surcharged for extra usage that was not flowing through.

Because many of those accounts were not receiving bills, it went unnoticed until they received some exorbitant bill later. Others attempted to get it corrected only to be told that law does not allow it to be corrected.

So, billing errors is the reason why that $43M number is so high, not actual usage. And billing errors can't, apparently be corrected, even if proven incorrect.

clusterfck

Anonymous said...

Aug 6 @ 7:55pm - $2,500 each, not 25,000

Maths b harrd

Anonymous said...

I suggest the leftist bleeding heart Belhaveners and Fondrinites pay all the unpaid water bills in Jackghanistan. Isn’t that how a Democratic Socialist Utopian society works? Those who can pay for those who can’t.

Anonymous said...

I imagine the first to get cut off will be the large apartment complexes that are corporate owned by someone out of State. Can't drink the water as it is without first boiling it, but you gotta flush the raw boo boo and wash the car. One water meter whacks 100-200 "customers" where the water is a part of the rent. 100-200 renters that won't be happy. The owners will pay the King's ransom to make sure that doesn't happen, whether or not the bill is correct. I don't think they'll go after the small time consumer future Kushians.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Lumbubbles: "It's a vast right wing conspiracy to bring down our great city after we have totally rebuilt our infrastructure."

Anonymous said...

10;02, where can I find the 6-8 information you mentioned. A friend has HUUUUGE bill and needs this type of information.
thank you in advance.

Anonymous said...

KF, the collective is going to be holistically pissed at you reporting the truth. (Waves hands uncontrollably like Drake Jr.)

Anonymous said...

I don't know who the Libertarian harpy is, but this vitriol is squarely on the Democrat's shoulders.
No matter how much you wish it to be untrue.

And 9:09 nailed it.

They have no clue who owes what and rather than admit that, they hold a presser with big words and the voters are happy.



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