ABERDEEN — Communication has come to a standstill in Aberdeen.
In the midst of an Aberdeen Police Department investigation into the Aberdeen Electric Department, Mayor and acting Electric Department Manager Jim Ballard says Police Chief Henry Randle refuses to speak to him.
“There”s no communication. He said ”I”m not going to talk to you anymore.” That was probably two months ago,” said Ballard.
The mayor claims he has no idea why Randle won”t speak to him. Randle could not be reached for comment Thursday or Friday.
The rift is the latest chapter in the scandal surrounding the city electric department. Seven individuals, including former department manager Adrian Garth, have been arrested in connection with a scandal involving electricity being given in exchange for sexual favors.
Ballard says communication could have solved a problem before Tuesday”s Aberdeen Board of Aldermen meeting, when Randle notified the board that files relating to a delinquent $10,000 bill owed by Signature Cabinetry were missing from Electric Department records. Ballard told Randle Signature Cabinetry”s promissory note to repay the debt was on his desk at the Electric Department, but as of Thursday he didn”t know if Randle had retrieved the document. Nor does he know the status of the investigation into the Electric Department.
“As a department head, he”s not reporting to the CEO of the city. He”s doing his own thing,” said Ballard.
Because Randle is an elected official, Ballard says he has little recourse to force Randle to report to the city. He says Randle”s announcement of the missing document was intentionally timed.
“It”s easier to bring it up in front of a crowd and make it look like the city is in disarray,” said Ballard.
Based on Randle”s report of suspicious activity at the Electric Department, which included security cameras being turned off, the board voted 3-2 to turn over security of the department”s administrative office to the APD. The locks on the doors were changed and Ballard says Randle is the only person in the city with the keys.
Electric Department employees still have access to the maintenance and warehouse facilities.
“(The door) is open when I come and he locks it when I leave. It doesn”t bother me,” said Anna McAllister, a cashier at the Electric Department”s administration building, of Randle opening and closing the building each day.
The Electric Department is dealing with bigger problems than who holds the keys to the doors. A lack of meter readers has led to longer billing cycles and higher bills, triggering a slew of complaints. One office worker was transferred from the police department to keep up with calls and walk-ins.
A sign taped to the customer service window inside the Electric Department reads: “Profanity will not be tolerated.”
“My bill ain”t never been this high,” complained Mary Smith while disputing her bill to McAllister. Smith says the longer billing cycles are disrupting her payment schedule.
“I prefer every month, like it”s been. This the second time my bill been high. I ain”t never paid this kind of money for no light bill,” she said.
One Electric Department customer who chose not to give his name reported he was in the hospital for the majority of February and was rarely home, yet his electric bill was near $300. Another woman said her $100 deposit had disappeared from the department”s records.
But not everyone is upset with their bills. One woman identified only as Angel claimed her billing cycle was two days shorter and $100 less than usual.
Customer Bobby Roebuck says he”s checked behind his meter readers to ensure his bills have been accurate and hasn”t found any problems. He credits city officials for doing the best they can to handle the scandal at the Electric Department, although it”s problems have long been rumored in the community.
“It hasn”t happened just in the last two or three months. It”s been going on for three or four years, I would say,” said Roebuck. “I believe we”ll come out OK. We just have to be patient.”
News broke two weeks ago that Signature Cabinetry, owned by Jay Harrison, owed the Electric Department $10,000 for three months worth of unpaid bills. Ballard says department policy allows delinquent customers to sign a promissory note guaranteeing to pay one-third of the outstanding bill, along with the current month”s bill, each month.
Ballard says at least 16 Electric Department customers currently have promissory notes. Signature Cabinetry was the first commercial customer to sign one.
He hopes to end the program, which has been in place since 2008.
“Next meeting, I want to put this on the agenda that, if it”s the wish of the board, to eliminate promissory notes completely. Which means there”s no opportunity for people to finance. They either pay up or get shut off,” said Ballard.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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