Red Oak resident urges council to investigate high water bills; city staff to follow up

Jacqueline Webb, a Red Oak resident, told the City Council on Dec. 15 that she has paid what she described as persistently high utility bills since moving to the city and urged officials to investigate whether charges were accurate.

"I paid $145 for my utility bill this month," Webb said, and described water charges she characterized as excessive. She also asked whether the city could address whether the growing population will bring grocery‑store access to new neighborhoods.

Mayor (unnamed) and staff responded that because the matter was not posted on the agenda it could not be debated that evening, but that staff would follow up. City staff said they would check for leaks and have someone contact Webb to walk through her bill and relevant documentation.

The comment came during the public‑comment portion of the meeting; council took no formal action but instructed staff to investigate and report back. The council noted the limits of its authority over private utilities and encouraged residents to bring billing documents to staff for review.

Next steps: staff will contact Webb to review her account and inspect for possible service leaks or billing errors. If inquiries indicate a systematic problem, council may place the issue on a future agenda for further consideration.