Councilwoman’s Debt Estimated at $1,700

Monticello Councilwoman Jacqueline Smith is expected to pay back charges—initially estimated at some $1,700—for natural gas she used from March, 2001, until this month, city officials said this week.

City manager Walter Smith said Ms. Smith knows the back charges are due and expects to pay them. “She understands, especially since she is a council person,” the city manager said. “If it were someone else I might have a harder time (collecting).”

When he commented Ms. Smith had not been told of the $1,700 estimate, which the city manager had yet to review. City clerk Susan Roper calculated the estimate based on historical usage at the residence before the meter stopped recording some 33 months ago.

{{more}}

At that time work was done on the heating system and city officials were under the impression that the house had been converted to total electric, explaining the fact that the meter showed no gas usage.

Earlier this month meter reader James Sauls detected gas flowing through the meter, which was then replaced. Mr. Sauls was suspended for rudeness to a customer after a confrontation with Ms. Smith when the meter was replaced.

Mr. Smith said he would review the calculated charge before actually billing the customer.

Councilwoman Smith did not respond Tuesday evening to a message on her answering machine regarding this report.