COUNCILWOMAN QUESTIONS PLAN FOR CHAFFEE WORKERS TO COLLECT UE BILLS

CHAFFEE -- An arrangement that would permit two city employees to make extra money by collecting Union Electric bills has electrified Ward 2 Councilwoman Irmgard Chronister.

Chronister, backed by councilmen Danny Finley and Brad Bader, spoke out against the arrangement at the Chaffee City Council meeting Monday night.

Union Electric has asked that the city begin collecting its bills following the closure of its Chaffee office June 28. The company is closing the office as well as others in places such as Miner and Lilbourn as part of a plan to establish a centralized call-service center for Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.

Chronister's comments were set off when Reece Brown, Chaffee's administrator, said the city would become a collection agent for the company.

The arrangement, Brown said, will be carried out on a trial basis. If it interferes with the two employees' work, it will be stopped, he said.

The two workers, City Collector Theresa Fuller and Assistant City Collector Lisa Newsome, would each be paid $50 a month for the work, said Ward 4 Councilman Tom Cunningham. Cunningham filled in as mayor Monday in the absence of Chaffee Mayor Ron Moyers.

Chronister objected to the arrangement. She not only expressed concern over the extra money being made on city time, but also over the city workers having to take the money to a night deposit box.

"What if someone holds them up on the way; are we responsible for it?," she asked.

Siding with Chronister, Finley, of Ward 3, said he could foresee a problem with the public being concerned about the setup.

Bader, of Ward 4, said he hadn't foreseen at first all the problems with the arrangement. "That will really cut in on their city time," he said.

City Attorney David Summers said the biggest problem rests with having a city official who is doing an additional job along with her regular work.

"It's kind of like having our trash truck driving around town and they (the garbage men) stop by somebody's house and pick up a piece of furniture and carry it down to the other end of town and deliver it, rather than picking up trash. And these guys put the money in their pocket for being a delivery service," he said.

Concern was also expressed by Summers over the responsibility the city would have for the collections; the city's exposure to possible shortages with the money; and the extent the city would possibly have to deal with customer complaints.

"Instead of calling UE, it's handy to call City Hall," said Summers.

Cunningham formed a special committee to look into the issue. On the committee are Chronister, Bader, and Finley.

Also Monday:

Council members agreed to disconnect water service to the North Scott Medical Center. As of the city's next billing period, the hospital will owe more than $1,600 in water bills.

The financially-troubled hospital announced Friday it was shutting down its inpatient services. Only an outpatient clinic operates out of one wing of the hospital now.

Council members said they were only following city ordinance in cutting off the service.

Prior to Monday's meeting, City Clerk Diane Eftink swore in Ed Gauthier as councilman for Ward 2. Gauthier beat out Janet Sullivan 95 votes to 84 in last Tuesday's special election for the seat.