The Town of Battleford has identified about $100,000 in underbilling several utilities users accounts with larger size meters. (file photo/battlefords NOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Billing glitch

Town waives $100k in underbilled utilities due to internal error

Apr 5, 2019 | 3:29 PM

The Town of Battleford discovered a significant underbilling error recently affecting six utility accounts related to large-sized meters over the last few years.

As a result, it decided to waive $104,638 amount outstanding over the past two years due to the oversight.

The issue related to the town’s software set up, according to administration.

“I imagine when it’s an error, it’s an error. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a computer or human, because humans drive all of them,” Mayor Ames Leslie said. “It’s just one of those unfortunate things that happen.”

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Finance Director David Gillan said he first noticed some discrepancies on a condominium utility bill in 2018 while comparing rates to the 2019 budget. After investigating the issue, the town identified six large accounts were underbilled.

Gillan said some of the accounts dated back a year and a half while others were more than three years’ old.

Council approved administration’s recommendation to waive the underbilled amount for the period prior to Nov. 1, 2018.

Gillan said the issue stems from the town’s billing software not being set up perfectly. While the town has the right to collect two years of underbilling, he didn’t believe it was reasonable to do that.

The town was able to correct the glitch in the system and rectify the billing for November 2018 and onward. Staff received additional training related to the issue.

“It’s too bad it happened but at least we’re taking the right approach,” Coun. Gordon Yarde said.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW