City officials discuss deposit requirements for utilities

Dateline: February 5, 2009

City officials discuss deposit requirements for utilities

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

City officials discussed utility deposits when the Clarendon Board of Aldermen met last week.

At issue is whether an existing utility customer or a new customer with proven credit should be required to pay a deposit on a new water account.

Current policy at City Hall requires deposits for all new accounts, and the money is not returned or applied until the account is closed. A new commercial account requires a $150 deposit, and a new residential account requires a $120 deposit.

City Administrator John Webb said the policy is in place to help protect the city from people who might otherwise walk out on their bills and move out of town.

“We currently have over $3,000 in delinquent accounts,” Webb said.

But some aldermen said other utilities aren’t operating the way the city is and that there should be a way for the deposit to be applied to the account after a period of time or be waived in the first place in some circumstances.

“I don’t see how it’s correct to keep the deposit for more than a year or two at the most,” Alderman Will Thompson said.

Alderman Ann Huey agreed and said she had lived in many places and had never had to pay a utility deposit because she was able to show good credit.

Mayor Chris Ford said he thought if a person had an existing account with the city with no delinquencies, that person should be allowed to open another account without putting down a deposit.

Webb said the board should be careful to craft policies that are fair to everyone and not just single out people.

The board took no action on the policy but will look into it further.

In other city business, Aldermen approved $4,000 from the Motel Bed Tax Fund to sponsor the Clarendon College Invitational Judging Contest this spring.

The contest annually brings more than 2,500 people to the city, filling restaurants and hotel rooms.

The board voted 4-1 to appoint Will Thompson as the city’s representative on the Tourism Committee. Alderman Thompson voted against the measure.

In his administrator’s report, Webb updated the board on work on the Rosenfield Bridge and extended his congratulations and appreciation to the members of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department’s Dive Team for their efforts during the recent drownings at Lake Greenbelt.