Published: July 19, 2008 09:35 am            

Irate customers speak out

Electric rates spark emotional outcry from citizens

Phil Riddle

editor@weatherforddemocrat.com

One after another they came to the podium, leaned into the microphone and explained to members of the Weatherford Municipal Utility Board how skyrocketing electric rates have affected them.

An estimated 300 concerned citizens packed City Hall Friday for a noon meeting with the utility board and a cross-section of those attending were signed up to speak.

Some eloquent. Some emotional. Some borderline profane. Most calling for change.

Many angry and happy to vent to board members. Others desperate, worried how they would pay their current bills and keep the power on or their businesses open. Still more afraid of what was going to happen in the future.

“We cannot afford Weatherford Electric anymore,” said Bill Moylin, one of the session’s early speakers. “You have taken our freedom,” he said to members of the board. “The freedom to choose. There are massive transfers of money from our families to your bureaucracy.”

Moylin was among the first to suggest a referendum to eliminate the city’s utility department and allow consumers the ability to choose power providers.

Jerry Clinton said unreasonable electric bills, blamed on unstable natural gas markets, create a “grave situation.”

“Imagine 70- or 80-year-olds, who, for the first times in their lives, are unable to pay their bills,” Clinton said. “You’ve let them down,” he told the board before turning to City Manager Jennifer Fadden.

“The buck stops with you Ms. Fadden,” he said.

Clinton then offered a series of solutions to the problem, one of which was the 30-day suspension of the city manager, who he suggested is to blame for the current crisis.

Fadden was verbally battered by several of the speakers in the almost-four-hour meeting.

“Somebody was asleep at the wheel,” said Stan Stanislov of Fadden’s handling of the current utility contract. Still others asked for her resignation or ouster.

Members of the board were also singled out.

Roger Barker called on Chairman Ronnie Warren and Paul Phillips to resign and asked Mayor Dennis Hooks to replace them with younger members.

“Find two younger people with the City of Weatherford in their hearts to take their places,” Barker said.

Prior to citizen input, Weatherford Director of Utilities Sharon Hayes offered a Power Point presentation explaining how the cost of natural gas has spiked and been passed on to consumers, creating the current situation.

“Does anyone out there understand any of this bull****?” 40-year city resident Charles Cunningham asked to applause and cheers after seeing the presentation.

Hayes’ explanation pointed out two factors merged creating a “perfect storm” which resulted in record-high electric bills for WE customers.

According to Hayes, besides the volatility of the natural gas market, congestion of transmission lines in West Texas and a burgeoning wind power market in the region forced Weatherford officials to seek the city’s current power source.

“There are so many unknowns,” Hayes said when discussing local consumers entering the open electric market. “It takes a lot of time and expense. It’s not just a simple matter. There are a lot of technical and regulatory changes to consider.”

She added the city’s current contract would not allow WE to dissolve.

Many subsequent speakers suggested Weatherford “opt-in” to a deregulated electric market, but none was cheered as loudly as Mattie Pearcy, chief of staff for Rep. Phil King.

Pearcy, reading a statement prepared by King, said, “As you know, under state law, municipally-owned utilities are allowed to opt-in to the competitive market and I would encourage the City of Weatherford and the Weatherford Utility Board to strongly consider this option.”

Fadden reported no official action was taken following Friday’s meeting, but proposes city staff react to customers’ concerns with a sense of urgency.

“We have to do something to lessen the impact to our customers,” she said. “And we can’t wait until next month’s Utility Board meeting. This needs to be done next week. If we have to get the board together sooner, we’ll do that.”

        

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