No rate other hike for utility customers

Why is my water bill so high?

We are just now entering the irrigation season and have had some unusually hot and dry weather. If your water bill has increased, it is due to usage. There was a 3 percent rate increase effective Jan. 1, reflecting higher prices for purchased water and sewer services and general increases in the costs of operations, but there has been no increase since.

The Tellico Village Property Owners Association has now completed the transition from postcard billing to paper billing in enclosed envelopes. The envelope provides enhanced privacy protection for customer numbers, utility account numbers and telephone numbers, which are included on the billing statement. We will be happy to work with any customer who has a concern about their bill.

Online account access

We are now offering customers the opportunity to set up an online account, where you may view three years of your account history, retrieve copies of your utility billing statements, see graphic representation of two years usage history and pay both assessments and utility bills online by credit card (a 3 percent convenience fee applies).

Online bill pay is a common alternative offered by utilities, state and local governments and merchants. It has become an expectation of customers for doing business and gives our residents a convenient payment option when they are traveling or otherwise unable to make their payments by mail, automatic bank draft or in person. We will continue to offer and encourage free automatic bank draft to customers who sign up for that service.

You do not have to do anything differently as a result of the change to paper billing. Even if you continue to pay in your usual manner, establishing an online account will provide you easy access to your usage history, prior billings and current account balances. You may establish an account at our specialized website, www.ezpaypoa.org, and enter the requested information under “New Customer Registration.” You will need your customer number and your account number to register. These numbers are located on both your monthly assessment coupon and your utility bill. Once you are into your individual account, click on “Show Detail” to see account details, history and graphs.

The three Rs

If you have not yet seen the completion of several of our repair, replace and renovate projects, it is worth a special trip to view and enjoy the finished projects.

We have now completed the Chota Recreation Center locker room renovations, the new bridal party dressing area on the fourth floor of the Yacht Club, the Tanasi Golf Course clubhouse restroom renovations and the Toqua Golf Course bunker renovations. Also, work is near completion on the new walking path around the Wellness Center complex, and the walking trail is now open for use while the finishing touches are being completed.

Watch for new fitness stations to be installed soon, complements of the Tellico Village Lions Club. Our efforts to repair, replace and renovate are yielding visible results.

Monthly financials

At the May meeting, the POA Board of Directors approved the capital for a systems project to expand the POA’s capability to accept credit cards and to install the previously mentioned customer portal for account access and online bill payment. The total cost of this project was $38,114, including $2,872 spent in 2015. Our property owners now have the capability to pay any or all of their TVPOA obligations by credit card.

At this point in the year we have approved approximately 69 percent of the 2015 capital plan and are about $124,000 over budget. Year to date net income reflects a favorable variance to budget of about $217,000, though some deferred maintenance projects may offset this in the coming months.

Parker Owen is financial director with the Tellico Village Property Owners Association.

By the numbers

Following are figures Tellico Village Property Owners Association has budgeted through April, including the year-to-date differences and projections (net cash flow excludes working capital):