Records in the Boone County Clerk’s Office indicate that the first few months of 2013 have seen several late payments on phone bills, including two that were paid in April after the county received shut-off notices for service at Boone County E911.
But County Judge James Norton’s office said the problem has been cleared up after new administration took over at the 911 office
Some bills include late payment fees totaling about $50 in April alone.
More than 10 bills received — mainly for service at 911 — included past due amounts on the bills, although the outstanding balance was paid within days of receipt.
For instance, a Windstream bill from February 15 showed a past due balance of $946.12, and that balance was paid by Feb. 20.
Lucretia Richardson, Norton’s secretary, said that there was a change in 911 administration earlier this year.
Herb Lair was appointed 911 director in early February.
Richardson said the outgoing administration put the bills in a different place and the new administration didn’t know where they were or that they were due.
She said that began a series of late payments and charges. The bills might include the past due amount even though it had been paid.
There are six separate Windstream accounts for 911, and each one of them could have had a late payment on it, she said.
Both Windstream and NATCO sent shut-off notices to the county in April for service at 911 in March, but those were paid within days, records show.
Richardson said she has a folder for 911 bills alone and it has taken several months to straighten out the entire problem.
“As of May, everything was caught up,” Richardson said. “We finally got it squared.”
911 late fees fixed at Boone County 911; warned of shut off