I have a vacant house at 870 Walnut St. in Newburg and had the electric on in the winter so pipes wouldn't freeze. I had 2 space heaters and a well house light on, both sparingly in January 2017. I also had the clock on the propane kitchen cook stove on because it's hard to unplug and an outside sensor light. I received the utility bill it was $139.06 and I paid it on 2-3-17. I thought that was pretty high, considering there wasn't much on and it was unseasonably warm. It continued to stay pretty warm, so after I received January's bill, I unplugged the heaters and shut off the well house light. The only things I had on were the stove clock and the outside sensor light. I didn't receive a bill again, so I called Phyllis Harris to ask how much my current bill was. She has a reputation around town of overcharging(I've seen it firsthand), so I let her know in advance that I shut almost everything off. I couldn't believe my ears when she told me the new bill was $177 and some change. I let her know that was ridiculous. I told her I wasn't going to pay it and I was going to do something about it. She tried to blame it on heat. I told her the house was heated by an oil furnace and it hadn't had any oil in it for awhile. That house has a propane water heater and cook stove, well water, septic and oil heat.
I didn't pay that bill and didn't receive another bill for the following month. I did get a shut off notice put in the door for $188 and some change due the 15th of March. I didn't pay it because I knew I was being overcharged. The electric didn't get shut off that month and I didn't know if it was because I had been trying to file complaints against Phyllis and I knew she found out because one of the places notified the county sheriff's dept. and one of the deputies was going to contact another deputy that also worked for City of Newburg, where Phyllis worked. Phyllis also works for the court system for Newburg, through the county court system, so she knows a lot of people in the justice system there. She was/ is a deputy or something similar herself. My daughter dated Phyllis' nephew approximately 2 years before and they both lived in that same house along with my daughters children. The nephew had the electic bill in his name. I remember one of his bills being approximately $85. I've owned that house almost 17 years and never had a bill in that price range. I've even received a bill before and being billed for water and sewer even though I had well water and septic. My daughter was in line years ago to dispute an electric bill with Phyllis and it was changed on the spot. A young man she knew was in line for the same thing and he said, you too? His bill was changed on the spot. I had heard for many years that she has 2 sets of books for the utility bills and she takes one home with her. I've also heard she gives her family members free and discounted utility bills. I believe that is why the rest of us pay so much. I think the only way to know for sure would be to see her books AND check the consumers bills also.
One of the places I called was the fraud hotline from the Atty. Generals office. They had a complaint but couldn't do anything about it because it isn't regulated. They said that was why we weren't paying our property taxes to her anymore. It's so hard to get anyone involved and she knows it. You can't go to town meetings because her family members and friends are usually on the board there and she takes charge of everything. I've contacted so many people and nobody can help. This is still theft to consumers and it should be illegal. Please help us. Thank you in advance.
Newburg City Hall Reviews
I have a vacant house at 870 Walnut St. in Newburg and had the electric on in the winter so pipes wouldn't freeze. I had 2 space heaters and a well house light on, both sparingly in January 2017. I also had the clock on the propane kitchen cook stove on because it's hard to unplug and an outside sensor light. I received the utility bill it was $139.06 and I paid it on 2-3-17. I thought that was pretty high, considering there wasn't much on and it was unseasonably warm. It continued to stay pretty warm, so after I received January's bill, I unplugged the heaters and shut off the well house light. The only things I had on were the stove clock and the outside sensor light. I didn't receive a bill again, so I called Phyllis Harris to ask how much my current bill was. She has a reputation around town of overcharging(I've seen it firsthand), so I let her know in advance that I shut almost everything off. I couldn't believe my ears when she told me the new bill was $177 and some change. I let her know that was ridiculous. I told her I wasn't going to pay it and I was going to do something about it. She tried to blame it on heat. I told her the house was heated by an oil furnace and it hadn't had any oil in it for awhile. That house has a propane water heater and cook stove, well water, septic and oil heat.
I didn't pay that bill and didn't receive another bill for the following month. I did get a shut off notice put in the door for $188 and some change due the 15th of March. I didn't pay it because I knew I was being overcharged. The electric didn't get shut off that month and I didn't know if it was because I had been trying to file complaints against Phyllis and I knew she found out because one of the places notified the county sheriff's dept. and one of the deputies was going to contact another deputy that also worked for City of Newburg, where Phyllis worked. Phyllis also works for the court system for Newburg, through the county court system, so she knows a lot of people in the justice system there. She was/ is a deputy or something similar herself. My daughter dated Phyllis' nephew approximately 2 years before and they both lived in that same house along with my daughters children. The nephew had the electic bill in his name. I remember one of his bills being approximately $85. I've owned that house almost 17 years and never had a bill in that price range. I've even received a bill before and being billed for water and sewer even though I had well water and septic. My daughter was in line years ago to dispute an electric bill with Phyllis and it was changed on the spot. A young man she knew was in line for the same thing and he said, you too? His bill was changed on the spot. I had heard for many years that she has 2 sets of books for the utility bills and she takes one home with her. I've also heard she gives her family members free and discounted utility bills. I believe that is why the rest of us pay so much. I think the only way to know for sure would be to see her books AND check the consumers bills also.
One of the places I called was the fraud hotline from the Atty. Generals office. They had a complaint but couldn't do anything about it because it isn't regulated. They said that was why we weren't paying our property taxes to her anymore. It's so hard to get anyone involved and she knows it. You can't go to town meetings because her family members and friends are usually on the board there and she takes charge of everything. I've contacted so many people and nobody can help. This is still theft to consumers and it should be illegal. Please help us. Thank you in advance.