The first utility bills produced by computer for New Ulm residents will be mailed out this week.

The new bills are very similar to the old bills except for some additional information listed.

THE NEW bills compute the late (penalty) charge and add it on to the actual total to come up with a “late pay total” for customers who don’t pay within 10 days of the billing date.

Also, a “cut-off” date is listed, which is the date the utilities would be yanked or cut off if the bill were not paid, according to Gary Johnson, data coordinator.

Any questions on bills received should be directed to the city clerk’s office, as in the past.

Customers will still return the smaller half of the bill with their check or cash. The address will now be on the same side of the card as the details of the bill.

OTHER CHANGES on the new bill:

-Second notices for people who don’t pay on time will be labeled “delinquent notice” and show just the total amount due instead of re-listing details of the bill as at present.

-If an electric water heater is on a separate meter or a customer has more than one water, electric, gas or heat meter, the customer will get a separate bill for that rather than one bill with all charges as is done now.

-The new bills will show the date the meters were read (“service to”).

-The bills will show an “account number,”‘ standing for the customer; and a “bill number”standing for the month (the first two numbers) and the number of bills so far for that month.

THE CITY is doing its own computer billing using a leased Burroughs computer which was installed in a specially-remodeled room at city hall last February.

The computer costs the Public Utilities Commission $1,700 per month and two full-time employee have been working for some time preparing programs for the computer and operating it.

The computer also does payroll work for the city and present plans call for the computerizing of general ledger, accounts payable, inventory, parking meter violation and possibly police records. Brown County plans to lease time for computerizing tax assessors’ records.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Jan. 7, 1975