UTILITIES

Billing and Customer Service
Billing Procedures
Billing Rates
Payment Options
Garbage Collection
Property Tax
Privilege Licenses
All Water and Sewer Rates 2008-2009 (.doc)
Charges and Fees 2008-2009 (.doc)
Electric Rates 2008-2009 (.doc)
GA Electric Rate Effective 3-16-09 - UPDATE 2009-2010
Sanitation 2008-2009 (.doc)
Security Light Rates 2008-2009 (.doc)
Tips (how to read your meter, energy savings...etc.)

METERING

Location and Contact Information:

The Meter Department is located in City Hall at 128 North Powell St. in Downtown Forest City.

Our hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.

We can be reached directly at (828)202-2269 or by calling City Hall at (828)245-0148.

The Meter Department Supervisor is Brian James and may also be reached by email at bjames@townofforestcity.com.

Mission Statement

Our goal at the Meter Department is to accurately measure each customer’s water and electric consumption in an equitable manner. It is only through the selecting, installing, testing and maintaining of all our meters that we may achieve this goal. At the same time, in conjunction with the Billing Department, we seek to provide the reliability and the quality service that our customers have come to expect from the Town of Forest City’s employees.

Acquisition of monthly billing data

All Town electric and water meters are read each month starting on the first working day of the month. The meters are read solely by Meter Department employees. All of our employees are easily recognized by their uniforms and ID badges. While the exact dates that a customer’s meter may be read will vary occasionally due to the effects of weekends and holidays on the billing cycle, we strive to keep as close to a 30 day billing cycle as possible.

BILLING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Location and Contact Information

Our office is located in City Hall at 128 North Powell St. in downtown Forest City.

Office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.

We can be reached by calling (828)245-0148.

The Billing Clerk is Laura Simpson and can be reached by phone at (828) 248-5207 or by email at fcbd@townofforestcity.com.

To Obtain Utilities

The total amount of any old bill must be paid.
Fees:
1. Electric $100 Deposit
2. Water $25 Deposit
3. Transfer fee $30
4. Reconnection fee $30

Services provided

The Town of Forest City provides electric, water, sewer and sanitation services to all our citizens. We also provide water service to many customers outside our corporate limits. It is with great pride that we provide these services to all of our customers.

Understanding your bill: You can find information about your account on your utility bill:

Account Number: It is located at the top right hand corner of your bill.

Previous and Present Readings with Usage: Your bill shows the previous reading and the current reading for your electric and/or water each month. The usage shows how many gallons of water and how many kilowatthours (kwh) you used during this billing period.

Dates of Service: This is the period of time your bill covers. It gives you the previous read date to the current read date.

Total Days: This is the total number of days for this billing cycle. It can vary from month to month depending on when it was read.

Past Due Date: This is the date current charges are due without a late charge being added to account. This date does not extend time for any previous balance. For a previous balance, your bill will show a past due notice.

Past Due Notice: If your account has a previous balance, your utility bill will print a Past Due Notice that will tell you when you must have the previous balance paid to avoid disconnection of services.

Message(s): Always check the bottom of your utility bill for any messages that are there. Helpful and Informative Information will be printed in this area.

Payment of Your Bill: On the back of your utility bill are five ways to pay your bill:

By Bank Draft

By Mail

Bring to our Collection Department

Drop in Night Deposit Box

By Credit Card Payment

Service requests: Start Service, Stop Service, Transfer Service, Change of Address/Phone.

Start Service: To apply for electric, water or sewer services with the Town of Forest City, you must come into the office at 128 N. Powell Street and sign an agreement. Please bring with you a picture identification, your social security card, and a rent receipt from your landlord and the exact address to be connected. If you are buying the property please bring proof of ownership. An application for utility services will need to be completed. Deposits of $100.00 for electricity and $25.00 for water are required before service will be connected. In addition, deposits are charged for customers who have prior balances due to the town.

Transfer Service: There is a $30.00 fee associated with the transfer of service from one location to another. You will also need a lease agreement, rent receipt or proof of ownership for the new location to be connected. In addition, a new application for utility services will need to be completed.

Application for Electric, Water or Sewer

You may print the application form and have it filled out before coming into the office for your convenience.

BILLING PROCEDURES

Utility bills are mailed between the 16th and 25th of each month. The bill is due by the 15th of the following month.

A $4.00 late charge is added to each unpaid account on the 16th. Utilities are subject to disconnection if not paid by the 25th. If utilities are cut off for non-payment, a reconnection fee of $30.00 is added to the account and the bill must be paid in full before the utilities are reconnected.

Delinquent Utility Bills

Utility Bills are mailed around the 25th of each month and are due and payable upon receipt. On the 15th of the following month a $4.00 late fee is added to unpaid bills an on the 25th of the following month all unpaid utility bills are scheduled for cut-off. The exact date for disconnection will be set by the city manager considering weekends, holidays, work shedules, etc.

A $30.00 fee will be charged for restoring service. This charge plus all delinquent amounts must be paid before restoring service.

All payments must be received at City Hall. Payments will not be accepted by service personnel in the field.

A $25 fee will be charged for returned checks.

Reconnection of utilities after working hours will ONLY take place until 5:30 PM on the day of disconnection. Payments must be brought to the drive-in window at City Hall.

If you have any questions regarding your utility bill, call 245-0148 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

BILLING RATES

A schedule of the rates for each service is available upon request. Please ask our customer service department for these rates. fcbd@townofforestcity.com or call 828-245-0148.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Utility payments can be made in a variety of ways:

Walk-in payments are welcomed and we also have a drive-thru window for payments as well as a drop box for after hours.
We provide for bank draft as a means of payments and we recently have made it possible to make payments with credit cards. This service can be performed by telephone, internet or in person at Town Hall. VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards may be used.
Payments made at Town Hall: Only VISA & Master Card can be accepted at Town hall. Must have valid picture ID.
For telephone payments call 1-800-272-9829. Use jurisdiction code 4359. Have your utility account number ready and $ amount ready, along with your credit card. Follow instructions on the telephone.
For internet payments logon to www.officialpayments.com use jurisdiction code 4359. Have your utility account number ready and $ amount ready along with your credit card. Follow instructions on the screen.
Night time deposit box

GARBAGE COLLECTION

The Town of Forest City contracts with GDS for garbage collection services. Everyone within the city limits is required to have garbage collection.

Garbage and recyclables are collected once a week. Residences and small businesses are provided with up to 3 rollout carts.

Large businesses and industries are provided with dumpsters. The cart must be rolled out to the roadside by 7:00 AM on the day of collection. The town asks that all carts be removed from the roadside after collection in order to maintain safety and tidiness.

For questions such as size of dumpster needed and what day garbage is collected in each area of the town, please call GDS at 828-245-1641.

For questions concerning rates or problems with the collection, please call our customer services clerk at 828-248-5207 or email fcbd@townofforestcity.com.

PROPERTY TAX

Town of Forest City property tax is billed and collected by the Rutherford County Tax Collector's Office. Tax bills are mailed during July and August each year and include both the Rutherford County and Town of Forest City taxes. Both taxes are paid to the Rutherford County Tax Collector. The county then sends Forest City taxes to the town. Forest City's current tax rate is $.30 per $100.00 valuation.

PRIVILEGE LICENSES

Privilege licenses are required for all businesses within the corporate limits. The application for license is taken in the utility department of Town hall. Call 828-245-0148 for additional information.