Bob Foos
Oronogo City Hall’s nightmare with gWorks municipal software continues with an error that caused a delay in calculating utility bills.
*An email went out to customers on Wednesday stating that the problem has been fixed and bills will be sent out Thursday, July 16.
Since the bills are going out late, it was announced during the Oronogo Board of Aldermen meeting on Monday that customers won’t have to worry about being charged late fees or having their service cut off this month. Cutoffs are usually on the 25th of the month.
Oronogo was satisfied with gWorks until it was switched to all-online. Since then, City Clerk Cyndi Jennings has reported that manual corrections have required hundreds of overtime hours put in by her and her staff.
Other cities are also having problems, and many are choosing Edumunds GovTech instead of gWorks. As a result, there is a waiting line to have their data converted from gWorks to Edmunds.
It has been 13 months since Oronogo made the decision to switch to Edmunds. Jennings now expects the city’s financial data to be moved to Edmunds by Oct. 6 and to be sending out utility bills with Edmunds in December.
The annual fee for Edmunds, when the city signed up last year, is $49,750.
The board agreed with Jennings that it will be worth another $9,500 for Edmunds to go back three years as it makes the conversion.
“We have to show precisely where the money went,” said Linda Lacey (1st Ward), the former city treasurer.
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The board approved an ordinance increasing the monthly water rate by $1 for both residents and non-residents.
The new residential rate is $21.22 for the first 1,000 gallons. Those outside the city will be charged $31.22 for the first 1,000 gallons. The charge for each additional 1,000 gallons will still be $4.37 in town. While the outside-of-town additional-1,000 rate will still be $8.20.
In other action, the board:
• Passed an ordinance that increases the tap fee to establish water service. The previous rate was $650. The new schedule, based on pipe size is: 3/4 inch, $850; 1 inch, $1,200; 2 inch, $4,500, and 4 inch, $8,500.
• Eliminated a section of the code in reference to natural gas shutoffs because the city is no longer in the natural gas business. Spire took it over.
• Approved a contract with Allgeier Martin and Associates to evaluate the capacity of Lift Station B, at a cost not to exceed $7,000.
• Heard a summary of the recent grease problem that threatened the Center Creek 201 Wastewater Treatment Plant from Mayor Charles Wilkins, who chairs the 201 Board.
Wilkins noted that Oronogo is eligible to have a third member represent the city on the board. Michael Renberg (2nd Ward) is now on the board with Wilkins. Anyone interested in serving should contact Wilkins.
