To the Editor:
Re: The City of Thompson Utility.
As a resident in Thompson who pays my bills on time and takes pride in it. Reading your article on the water bills and Eastwood area being affected I not only sympathize with my surrounding neighbors in Eastwood but I have become extremely bitter towards the City of Thompson.
After living in Thompson for almost two years I had yet to receive a water bill up until this point. Upon checking the mail this week, I had finally received a letter from the City stating that my water bill was "Past Due." Past due? How is that possible? How is it past due when I have yet to receive a bill up until this point? Is this Canada Post's fault? Is it the City's fault? Who knows? I sure don't. Why don't I know? Because upon receiving my $700$ bill I went down to City Hall to have it sorted out. Only for them to say, "The bills were sent, and no payment was received. It's not our fault; there is nothing we can do for you. But you can make a small payment if you can't afford the whole bill."
Frustrated by this point. I just left. I've tried to call numerous times in the past two weeks as well and conveniently the person in the office is always out of town, or there is no answer. Kind of like what I'm getting, no answers.
My bill had $600 some odd amount as the balance forward and that to me is crazy. If it were any other company I owed this kind of money to, I would have got a phone call, a letter, SOMETHING to tell me I was EXTREMELY past due in my bill and needed to make a payment. I feel as though the city has no idea what they are doing and are completely disorganized. Also I think it isn't fair to the people who are getting these bills who have never received one having to pay these large amounts. The City's letting people pay small amounts until they can catch up.
Nice, but how can you pay small amounts and catch up without having to pay late fees, and when the bill is that high, the odds of catching up are against you.
I also had a letter enclosed with my bill stating that if I didn't pay my bill by Dec. 30 it would be added onto my taxes, and there would be a penalty. So now I am stuck having to pay an extremely large bill, not knowing whose fault it is and feeling completely taken advantage of.
The only thing I know now is the City Of Thompson now leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I hope they rectify this situation as quickly as possible. Who know' if I'll receive a bill for my next payment? I don't.
Nicole Robotham
Thompson
