$5 MILLION IN LATE FEES: Branson, Mo. Board of Aldermen approves termination of service for delinquent sewer accounts

Madison Horner - 25 August 2022

BRANSON, Mo. (KY3) - If you live in Branson and haven’t paid your sewer bill, beware. The city now has the okay to shut off your water.

The Branson Board of Aldermen voted to approve a contract that will allow the City of Branson’s Utilities Department to terminate service to delinquent sewer accounts.
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The Branson Board of Aldermen voted to approve a contract allowing the city of Branson’s Utilities Department to terminate service to delinquent sewer accounts.

The city has more than 200 accounts that are behind on payments. The top four total more than $5 million in bills and late fees.

“For the top four delinquent accounts, the total sewer usage charges add up to just over $19,000,” said Branson Utilities Director Kendall Powell.

It adds up to $19,000 in charges, but $4.95 million in late fees. Powell explains that if customers don’t pay, they get an added 5 percent penalty and interest charge.

”That can compound over several years of not paying bills, which added up to the significant amount of record.”

Several aldermen were shocked to learn about the high amount and the utility’s previous inability to shut customers off who weren’t paying.

”I just want to get this clear because it’s blowing my mind,” said Alderman Clay Cooper.

Powell says it’s not everyone in Branson. These are just customers who use Branson sewer and water from Public District three in Taney County. If someone wasn’t paying their Branson sewer bill, the city didn’t have permission to cut off their water from Taney County.

“What this agreement will do will allow us to work in conjunction with public water district three to shut off sewer account customers who have not paid their billing,” Powell said.

Until now, the city has had to budget for unpaid bills. This could mean big money back to the utility.

”This could be a potential way to bring revenue back into your department by being able to collect on these bills,” said Alderman Cody Fenton.

”City of Branson sewer customers on public water district three will receive a letter in the near future notifying them of our ability to shut off their delinquent sewer accounts,” Powell said.

We asked who the four customers were that owed the $5 million. Utilities wouldn’t give us those names. Powell says customers can contact the finance department to make payment arrangements.

Poster Comment:

The town I live in SW Missouri lost $55,000 on the water system a couple years ago. Now everyone got a 20% increase in their water rates. They were not running things like a business.

Of course, these idiots have the option to declare bankruptcy.

I also saw a story that Lake Mead is drying up because Las Vegas draws its water from that lake and snowpacks in the Rockies have been less than usual.