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Many utilities are facing financial difficulties tied to the economic downturn in two
different areas of management. One is customer account management; ways to improve debt collection and
related issues were discussed in the morning session. In this economy, utilities need to collect
all revenues that are due; management practices such as debt, budgeting, and resource sharing were
the focus of the afternoon session.
Designed for professionals and decision makers involved with management and
financial management of municipal utilities and authorities including utility directors, finance
directors and managers in either the utility department or finance department in local government
and city council and county board members.
Facilitated by the NC AWWA-WEA's Finance Committee and the Environmental Finance Center.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
(click for pdfs of the presentations) |
| 8:00 |
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Registration |
| 8:30 |
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Introduction and Objectives |
| 8:45 |
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Delinquency Policies - late fees, penalties, payment arrangements
Jeff Morse, Town of Valdese NC |
| 9:15 |
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Legal Considerations of Account Management - privacy concerns, red flag rules, etc.
Kara Millonzi, UNC School of Government |
| 10:00 |
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Discussion session on both presentations |
| 10:30 |
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Break |
| 10:45 |
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Creating Customer Assistance Programs - social agencies and other groups provide utility payment assistance. What role can the utility play?
Greg Feller, OWASA |
| 11:15 |
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Losing a Major Water Customer - how to plan for loss of a big (industrial or commercial) customer, mitigating impacts on the community and financial impacts on the water utility
Don Brookshire, City of Mount Airy |
| 12:00 |
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Lunch |
| 12:45 |
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Debt Management in the Tight Economy - internal debt policies, revenue bond decisions
Walter Goldsmith, First Southwest Company |
| 1:15 |
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Buncombe MSD Case Study: Debt Issues - what happens when your insurer crumbles?
Scott Powell, Buncombe Metropolitan Sewerage District |
| 1:45 |
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Working Smarter by Mapping Your Business Process - work more efficiently by studying the process you are using
Bob Pearson |
| 2:15 |
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Break |
| 2:30 |
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CIP Prioritization - doing the project shuffle due to decreased revenues
William Gilmore |
| 3:15 |
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Interlocal Partnerships - contracts to share resources
Andrew Westbrook, Environmental Finance Center |
| 4:00 |
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Wrap up and adjournment |
The EFC is presenting a separate one-day workshop on hot topics in water finance and governance in Montreat, NC,
on October 22. Registration is now open.
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