AEP says inaccurate meter reading led to fair board's $15,000 bill
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Three members of the Highland County Fair Board expressed serious concerns with the board's most recent AEP electric bill during the Feb. 15 meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners. AEP has subsequently said that a meter error led to the 500-percent increase in the bill.
Fair Board members Jon Holbrook, Nathan Cook and Mark Baldwin presented the board's most recent AEP invoice for the Highland County Fairgrounds. Previous charges had totaled $3,473.08 and were paid on Jan. 24.
The latest statement, with a due date of March 2, reflects a total amount due of $15,616.48.
"If this rate holds true for the remainder of the year, our total electric would cost $281,000," Holbrook said.
Following the commissioners meeting, the fair board members had a conference call with AEP representatives, who said the $15,000 bill was the result of an inaccurate meter reading.
"They told us there were some mistakes in our bill," Holbrook told The Highland County Press. "They said they would refigure it and would give us a call at the beginning of the week. They said it was not billed right, with either the meters not being read right, or some other way they went about it. They said they were going to do some investigating and readjust the bill."
Holbrook said that they do not know how much the monthly bill will ultimately be.
"They said they were supposed to be increases , but not those kinds of increases," he said.
AEP will be contacting the board next week with adjustments and a new bill, he said.
"It's still going to be more than we want, but at least it's going to be feasible," Holbrook said.
During the meeting, Holbrook told the commissioners that a typical monthly bill, not counting September (which is fair month) ranges from $800 to $1,000.
"At the current rate, the electric bill would consume almost our entire budget," Baldwin said. "To go to $15,000 from $3,000, that's just a killer."
"That's an unsustainable increase," Highland County Commission President Shane Wilkin said.
Baldwin told commissioners, "If we can't come to a solution, we are looking at doing away with AEP for the fair and possibly use generators. They've got us between a rock and a hard place."
The fair board members also said there are issues when renting buildings at the fairground where electricity is needed. It's difficult to pass that cost on, they said.
Three members of the Highland County Fair Board expressed serious concerns with the board's most recent AEP electric bill during the Feb. 15 meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners. AEP has subsequently said that a meter error led to the 500-percent increase in the bill.
Fair Board members Jon Holbrook, Nathan Cook and Mark Baldwin presented the board's most recent AEP invoice for the Highland County Fairgrounds. Previous charges had totaled $3,473.08 and were paid on Jan. 24.
The latest statement, with a due date of March 2, reflects a total amount due of $15,616.48.
"If this rate holds true for the remainder of the year, our total electric would cost $281,000," Holbrook said.
Following the commissioners meeting, the fair board members had a conference call with AEP representatives, who said the $15,000 bill was the result of an inaccurate meter reading.
"They told us there were some mistakes in our bill," Holbrook told The Highland County Press. "They said they would refigure it and would give us a call at the beginning of the week. They said it was not billed right, with either the meters not being read right, or some other way they went about it. They said they were going to do some investigating and readjust the bill."
Holbrook said that they do not know how much the monthly bill will ultimately be.
"They said there were supposed to be increases, but not those kinds of increases," he said.
AEP will be contacting the board next week with adjustments and a new bill, he said.
"It's still going to be more than we want, but at least it's going to be feasible," Holbrook said.
During the meeting, Holbrook told the commissioners that a typical monthly bill, not counting September (which is fair month) ranges from $800 to $1,000.
"At the current rate, the electric bill would consume almost our entire budget," Baldwin said. "To go to $15,000 from $3,000, that's just a killer."
"That's an unsustainable increase," Highland County Commission President Shane Wilkin said.
Baldwin told commissioners, "If we can't come to a solution, we are looking at doing away with AEP for the fair and possibly use generators. They've got us between a rock and a hard place."
The fair board members also said there are issues when renting buildings at the fairground where electricity is needed. It's difficult to pass that cost on, they said.
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