[Durham INC] Help with another water billing problem

[Free Spirit]

The point at which it is appropriate to take an issue outside the system is
not the point at which you have "tried very hard," but the point at which
you have exhausted all appropriate avenues for resolution within the system.
Not to criticize the couple, but from the account given, they tried very
hard by going back and back to the water department, hoping for a different
result.   I hope that the folks at WRAL would have wisely given them the
same advice they are getting here...to pursue the matter with the City
Manager's office and City Council...and then, if that doesn't work, to bring
their story to Five.

My other advice to the young couple would be for at least one of them to
enroll in the Durham City/County College.  I'm pretty sure they would have
handled this differently had they already been through that program, and I
would hope (but am not sure) that they would have gotten a quicker
resolution.

As for the amusing boom!, if I'm following the thread correctly, Melissa
posted the plea for assistance very late on Monday night.  This was the
third response, at 9:45 the next morning.  Nine more responses were posted
to the listserv by the end of the day.  Had the appropriate people been
given a reasonable amount of time to respond without threat of negativity
publicity, then I would have learned something about the responsiveness of
my City government (not just the water department) to this type of problem
without threat of negative publicity.  As it is, I was deprived of that
education, and that does not amuse me.

For those who are in a position to follow up usefully on this situation, I
hope you will not limit your efforts to resolving this one problem, but will
also follow up to find out why the erroneous bill was issued in the first
place and why the couple's efforts to resolve the matter directly with the
water department failed, evaluate the process based on that information,
and, if it appears that there are any needless tripping points, that you
will make an effort to follow through on process improvements, so that
others might not have to go through the same experience again.

As for an apology, I'm not a big fan of apologies.  Nor defenses (not to be
confused with explanations, which I adore).  I think the world would benefit
enormously from fewer apologies and defenses, and a lot more forward-looking
living and learning.

Julie Omohundro
Durham, North Carolina
freespirit0623 at earthlink.net


-----Original Message-----

I don't apologize for suggesting that they bring in the heavy artillery
.
.
If Melissa's story is correct, the people involved have tried very hard to
get the problem addressed and they have gotten nowhere.  
.
.
But one thing is amusing: put this on the INC listserv with suggestions that
the couple contact Tom Bonfield or WRAL, and, boom!