Board weighs switch to bimonthly billing after 1,178 disconnection notices; PUC approval required

District staff told trustees that 1,178 disconnection notices were mailed in the most recent cycle and that 70 notices led to actual disconnections. A staff member said most disconnections were restored within a day or two after customers made payment arrangements.
Staff said the district is exploring a change from monthly to bimonthly billing to reduce the number of service interruptions. The staff member explained that switching to bimonthly billing would require the district to hold a public hearing and to update the district's terms and conditions for approval by the public utilities commission. The staff member told trustees the change is 'all doable' but will take extra time and effort to implement.
No formal motion to change billing frequency was recorded. Trustees asked staff to pursue the regulatory steps and report back; staff noted they had recently met with the PUC to identify the procedural steps and that the matter will require an update to the district's terms and conditions and a public hearing before the PUC.
Discussion only: scope of disconnections, how quickly service is restored, and administrative steps to switch billing cycles. Direction: staff to begin the PUC process for bimonthly billing and to report progress at a future meeting. Formal action: none recorded.