HSUD general manager reports to board
Wayne Jones, general manager of the Holly Springs Utility Department, reported to the board of aldermen on recent accomplishments and recommendations at the Oct. 15 meeting of the mayor and board of aldermen.
He began with the positives then presented some requests before he was stopped by Mayor Sharon Gipson and board attorney John Keith Perry Jr.
Jones said the customer response to letters sent to those with over 30, 60, or 90 days past due electric bills netted over $250,000 dollars in uncollected debt, or about one-quarter of the $1 million in uncollected debt on the books.
“Glad to hear that. The letters worked,” said Gipson.
Next, Jones said Marlin Williams, with North East Mississippi Electric Power, has offered his services free to train customer service employees at HSUD. Williams was scheduled to begin training for any employees who asked for it Tuesday, Oct. 22.
This report threw up a red flag for Gipson and attorney John Keith Perry Jr.
Gipson asked if Williams’ services would be free for all training sessions or would his offer just get him in the door.
She said a lot of what is offered as free later turns out to be charged for in subsequent training sessons. She wanted to know what the utility would be getting into.
Jones said a Memorandum of Understanding could be set up to make clear what services would be offered by Williams.
Gipson said she was amazed at the timing of William’s offer.
Jones said the training session can be rescheduled.
Gipson was skeptical of the offer and also voiced concern that Williams would want to burrow into the books at HSUD.
“We need to make sure, then, when they come back if there’s a fee,” Gipson said.
Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather asked what type of customer service training is proposed and how many sessions were planned.
“You want to know that,” she said.
Jones said the sessions would train customer service representatives on how to answer the phone, how to deescalate calls and how to answer questions about billing, for those in the office who want it.
“The whole nine yards,” Jones said. “I can ask him to reschedule.” The trainer uses skits or scenarios to illustrate standard practices and procedures that are used, he said.
Gipson asked if Jones has documentation of what Williams proposes.
“Jones said the training is free, but he has documentation from Williams’ website of what he offers.
The first meeting would be for the employees to meet Williams and build a relationship, Jones said.
Afterward other training sessions would be added.
Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain asked if Williams would be allowed to get inside the grid or was the training just verbal.
Jones said Williams has information on his website that covers procedures and processes that he uses for training purposes.
Williams, who has a business MRT Communications, does customer service training for a lot of local power companies, Jones said.
“So, he’s a contractor,” Gipson said.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Jones said.
Merriweather asked if Jones contacted Williams or the other way around.
“Okay, I got a call from TVA,” Jones said.
TVA said they had someone who could do customer service training because the “folks in the office asked for customer service training.”
Jones met with TVA, Williams and Keith Hayward, general manager of North East, “and it was arranged that there would be no charge.”
He said HSUD and North East are sister companies.
Gipson said the city still needs something in writing from Williams, even if there is no fee.
She said she assumes that Williams would have access to the system’s customer information and things of that nature.
She asked to hold off on the training until the attorney could look into it.
Jones proceeded with his report.
Some $2.4 million in work orders that were open have been closed and $500,000 in work orders are left to close.
HSUD was paying TVA $1 million on its wholesale power bill Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Jones then offered some of his asks.
He said he found two employees sleeping through safety class and he wanted authority to dock employees pay for not responding when he asked them to pay attention.
“I don’t know if you can dock pay,” Perry said. “It’s progressive discipline.”
Merriweather said the employee is written up, then the employee’s status will be taken up in executive session where they may be suspended without pay.
“I need a copy of the 2021 audit report that the auditors have,” Jones said, moving on down his list of asks.
He said he learned the mayor has a copy of it.
Gipson said Jones could request a meeting with her to discuss it.
“Whether you like it or not, you respect me and stop being insubordinate and I’ll take the request,” Gipson said.
Jones said he had sent the mayor a request for the audit by email before. “We (the board) would like a copy as well,” Merriweather said.
“I’ll look and see if there’s a copy in the office,” Gipson said.
“So, we don’t know if the audit is complete?” asked Ward 2 alderman Andre Jones. “It’s either complete or it’s not. Who’s in communication with the auditing firm?”
“I am,” Gipson said.
“So, the last you checked with the auditing firm, was it complete?” asked alderman Jones.
Gipson said she had heard there was a draft.
“I thought I had seen one, 2021, but people kept saying that it wasn’t, well that’s what TVA was saying. So, I’ll check tomorrow and see what we have,” the mayor said.
Merriweather said the information that Gipson provided about the audit is ambiguous.
“The audit was complete, so they are supposed to come before us. Not just the mayor, but the board and mayor, to know that the audit is complete. And they have not followed up with us to say definitely that the audit was complete. Is that what I’m hearing?” Merriweather asked.
“I can’t speak for what you just said,” the mayor said. “I’ll stand by what I just said. I will check tomorrow and see what we have and we don’t have to be sure. Alderman Merriweather can’t help you here, Mr. Jones.”
“I talked to the man, Harry Stevenson, and he told me that the audit is complete, but he can’t release it to me without the mayor’s permission,” said Wayne Jones.
Gipson said she has talked to him and he still hasn’t released the final draft. That had been about two weeks ago.
Gipson said she had not yet received a hard copy of the audit.
“Also, we need audits for 2022, 2023, and 2024,” Jones said.
Jones then reported that HSUD has spent $750,000 on cutting right-of-way, but more is needed. He asked for vendors to submit requests so TVA can release the remaining $430,000 the legislature provided to cut right-of-way.
Gipson said when Jones asked for vendors to bid on the contract from the state, he is asking C&M Bush Hogging to change the terms of the contract it has with HSUD.
“We understand he has a contract with the city,”Merriweather said. “We need right-of-way cut.” Jones said C&M is cutting hot spots.
“We need to cut from ground to sky,” he said.
“That will have to be bid out,” Gipson said.
“Jones said he would like to hire an engineering consultant to determine where to cut the right-of-way and pay an hourly rate.
He asked to extend the contract with Jolly metering for a year.
Perry passed out contracts with several meter reading companies.
Gipson said the request to extend Jolly’s contract should be put on hold, that its contract has expired.
She suggested hiring people in Holly Springs to read meters, instead, to benefit the city.
Jones said he wants to contract with Advanced Metering, too. He said the utility has to move to another metering system. Advanced Metering can install new meters.
Dummetria Russell reported invoices from Jolly one for $7,000, two invoices totaling $8,000 and the last invoice for $9,945.
Gipson said the utility needs to find a more frugal way to get the meters read.
Merriweather agreed, but said since HSUD is so far behind in reading meters, the utility may need outside help. She recommended keeping Jolly and to hire another company because of the urgency of the matter.
Jones was dismissed by the mayor and attorney when he said he had more business to cover.