The city of Port Arthur is trying to make some headway on delinquent water bills.

The Port Arthur City Council listened to a report at their regular meeting on Tuesday morning by Antonius Pegues, director of utility operations, about the department’s efforts to catch up.

Currently the delinquency rate in the city is 19 percent. Their goal is to be at 9 percent above area cities.

One way to raise revenue is to increase the down payment from 20 percent to 50 percent.

Residents who are delinquent, furthermore, will get a pink-colored bill. Other methods of contact could include social media and advertising in local media.

Willie “Bae” Lewis Jr., District 5 councilman, said he had a problem of running delinquent water bill notices in The Port Arthur News because it would duplicate efforts.

“Why advertise in the newspaper? That’s just extra cost to the taxpayers,” he said.

Charlotte Moses, Position 7 councilwoman, said the newspaper, as well as social media, would be a good way to get the word out.

“We need to use every avenue at our disposal,” Moses said. “We need to cover our bases. Some will still say ‘I didn’t know about it.’”

“Let’s not personalize this. One person’s opinion on the council shouldn’t matter.”

Lewis said it’s not personal, but it’s about the taxpayers’ money already being spent.

He then referred to this reporter in the audience taking notes. Lewis said the information can get out that way.

“We have a news reporter right now taking notes for his article and it won’t cost us a dime,” he said. “We already wasted $100,000 of the taxpayers’ money on Edison Square.”

City Manager Brian McDougal said the city’s true goal is to notify.

He added that the city hired a public information officer, LaRisa Carpenter, who can do some of these things for free.

“The Port Arthur News has been a really good printed source that tells citizens this is coming,” McDougal said. “We want the best service we can for our customers.”

Lewis said he has a problem with Moses accusing him of personal ends when The News endorsed her in her race.

“Why you running road blocks for the local paper?” he asked.

The discussion then shifted to collection fees.

Pegues suggested the Retail Merchants Association could be contracted to recover delinquent accounts for a 30 percent fee. The city faces a total of $2 million in delinquent fees.

Keith Richard, District 4 councilman, asked if this would be a soft hit on the customer’s credit.

Pegues said it would be a soft hit and considered as an event.

Morris Albright III, District 3 councilman, asked if an extra fee would have to be paid for using the online service. Pegues answered no.

Albright added that he’s still getting complaints from citizens about not getting their phone calls returned.

Pegues said customers are entitled to one adjustment per year at 50 percent.

Richard said one elderly resident contacted him who had two leaks for $1,200 each. Even with the 50 percent discount it would cost her $600 on the first leak and she’s on a fixed income.

“Do we shut off her water? We have lots of seniors and unemployed in the city,” he said.

Pegues said each citizen’s case will be looked at individually.

“We want to be fair to our customers and still abide by the city ordinances,” Pegues said.

Richard asked if the deposits also applied to disconnected accounts or were deposits only for new customers. Pegues said disconnected accounts only.

Richard said some customers told him their deposit increased after it was cut off.

He said if the Retail Merchants Association is paid 30 percent per account, and all of them were processed, the city would have to pay them $1.5 million.

Tiffany Hamilton, District 2 councilwoman, said she wanted to follow through with the third party business that processes online payments to make sure they are treating customers the right way.

Pegues said they will soon meet with the third party business about their procedures.

Hamilton said she wanted the city to be proactive rather reactive responding to customers.

Pegues said the city is under a new system for the water department that allows them to be proactive in notifying customers. He added that if there is an issue, 90 percent to 95 percent of the time it’s from an undetectable leak.

Hamilton said some of the meters are underwater and won’t send a signal. Pegues said if a meter is not sending out a signal, someone would be sent out to check on it. Additionally, the transmitter would be relocated.

McDougal said the contract with the Retail Merchants Association hasn’t been brought up yet.

Many of the delinquent accounts are from residents who have moved out of town and not paid their bills.

Albright asked what can be done about residents who die, are delinquent in their bills, and have no family to pay for it.

City Attorney Val Tizeno said state laws reads the city has a 12-month limit to collect.

David Ball: 409-721-2427