NE Piedmont News

City of Henderson recently issued the following announcement.

Effective March 31, 2020, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order (EO) 124.  Governor Cooper issued EO 142 that became effective on May 30, 2020. These Executive Orders state that the City is unable to disconnect water and sewer service for late payments incurred from March 31, 2020 through July 29, 2020. Below is a summary of these provisions and how it effects your utility account.

Suspension of Disconnections:

• As of March 31, 2020, EO 124 suspended disconnections for non-payment. (As of March 17, 2020, the City suspended disconnections for non-payment.)
• The disconnection suspension continues through July 29, 2020.
• The suspension applies to accounts which incur delinquencies beginning March 31, 2020 through July 29, 2020.
• The City may disconnect services for any reason other than stated above.
• After July 29, 2020, the City will resume disconnections according to normal policies with one exception:
  • According to the Executive Order, local governments may not terminate service to residential customers who incur a delinquency from March 31, 2020, through July 29, 2020 who are complying with the terms of a payment plan.

Suspensions of Late Penalties:

• The City may not apply late penalties for delinquent payments of regular charges on a residential accounts that are due from March 31, 2020, through July 29, 2020.
• The City may charge late penalties on accounts that became delinquent prior to March 31, 2020.

Payment Plan Mandates:

1. The City is required to offer residential customers who incur a delinquency from March 31, 2020 through July 29, 2020, the option to participate in a payment plan that extends payments up to six (6) months after July 29.  The payment plan will divide the delinquent balance due into multiple installment payments instead of mandating a payment in a lump sum.  The current bill amounts over the six month period will be included in the payment plan.
2. The City has set a strict deadline of August 31, 2020 in which payment plans must be made for these past due balances.   Please contact the Customer Service Department at 252-430-5700 to make an appointment.
3. If you DO NOT create a payment plan by 5:00 p.m. on August 31, 2020, you will be required to pay the TOTAL past due balance incurred between March 31, 2020 through July 29, 2020 in full by 5:00 p.m. January 25, 2021 in order not to have services disconnected. 

Services will be disconnected without exception if you do not take one of the two steps above within the time frame set above.

Original source can be found here.