A BILLING ERROR THAT WENT ON FOR YEARS, INVOLVING THE COMPANY THAT EMPLOYS ONE OF GARNETT’S ELECTED CITY COMMISSIONERS, APPARENTLY SUBSIDIZED THE COMPANY FOR MORE THAN $21,000 IN UNPAID ELECTRICITY AND NOW CITY OFFICIALS ARE DEBATING OVER HOW TO HANDLE THE ISSUE.
COMMISSIONER GREG GWIN IS PRODUCTION MANAGER AT GENCO. IN 2016 THEY PURCHASED A BUILDING ON 2ND STREET IN THE CITY’S INDUSTRIAL PARK AND A NEW METER WAS ADDED TO THE STRUCTURE. CITY MANAGER TRAVIS WILSON SAYS THE ERROR BEGAN WHEN ELECTRIC SERVICE WAS TURNED ON AT THE NEW METER AND WHEN THOSE UTILITIES WERE ESTABLISHED, THERE WAS AN ELECTRIC METER THAT HASN’T BEEN READ OR BILLED SINCE ITS INSTALLATION IN DECEMBER 2016. WILSON SAYS IN DECEMBER 2021 IT WAS CAUGHT AND THE METER BEGAN BEING READ, HOWEVER, THE BILLING DEPARTMENT FAILED TO BILL THE READINGS. HE ADDS THAT THE BILLING WAS REACTIVATED ON THE METER IN MARCH/APRIL 2022 AND MOVING FORWARD. BUT THE QUESTION OF THE UNBILLED AND UNPAID BALANCE REMAINES.
GWIN SAYS HE PLANS TO ABSTAIN FROM WHATEVER DISCUSSIONS OR DECISIONS ARE MADE REGARDING THE ISSUE SINCE HE WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE FIRM IN QUESTION.
