Roberts: Metering issues not tied to busted employee

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Tuesday, October 9. 2012

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By Sherri Ellington

Former Barnesville meter reader Marcus Richardson, arrested last week on Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act for possession of nine pounds of alleged synthetic marijuana, is also facing accusations of improper meter reading from Barnesville water and electricity customers.

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#1 Barnesville Runaway on 10/09/12 at 07:40 AM

When did this guy start working for the City of Barnesville? Did the 2001 charges not show up on a criminal background check? Or does the COB not check backgrounds on potential employees?

#2 Bonnie Ruse on 10/10/12 at 07:31 AM

Maybe the buck should stop with the city manager for hiring this convict, and failure to supervise....makes one think this is just the tip of the iceberg, just like the civic center gym, you pay for a membership, and follow the rules. You put your ID in the box with 2 other ID cards, and there are 13 people using the gym. NEVER AGAIN. The city manager should leave the confines of his office once in a while, and actually see what is going on in the REAL WORLD...HELLO.

#3 Robert Tippin on 10/10/12 at 07:53 AM

“It was a simple over-billing,” Roberts said. “It’ll correct itself next month and reflect her usage was less.”

In the mean time, they will charge a late fee if the person can't afford the erroneous bill, because of the CoB's mistake. Does that sound right? Some of us to operate on a monthly budget and expect something a little better than "mistakes happen".

How about this CoB: I will pay what I think it should be. Sometimes I will pay less, and sometimes I will pay more. It will correct itself. You'll eventually get what I owe you.

I'll bet that one would go over like a lead balloon.

#4 Bonnie Ruse on 10/10/12 at 02:14 PM

...Right on Robert, the zipper heads are clueless.
Don't drink the Kool-aide.

#5 Curious ? on 10/10/12 at 03:07 PM

"It was a simple over-billing". "It'll correct itself next month"

So Mr. Roberts, Are you saying Ms. Smith should wait until next month to make the payment to your office? Seems to me if she has to wait until next month to get a corrected bill, your office should have to wait till next month to get the payment. Or your office could send someone out and read the meter and issue a correct bill. I mean it was a "simple over-billing" so how hard could it be to fix a "simple" mistake? Please advise Mr. Roberts. The community would like to know how your office is going to fix this "simple" mistake. After all Ms. Smith should not be penalized or have to suffer financially because your office hires such incompetent people.

#6 Tom Rauch on 10/10/12 at 08:21 PM

Do any other felons work for Barnesville or the county? Do they run background checks or have a policy?

If I lived in B-ville I would learn to read my own meter.

How often are meters tested for accuracy, and by whom?

#7 Fred Hartwell on 10/10/12 at 11:40 PM

Talk about rewarding bad behavior, and criminals.
Marcus Richardson was busted with large amounts of cocaine and marijuana in 2001, and sometime after his jail stay he moved to Northside Drive in one of two new homes built in a city-sponsored project near Railroad Street right before the real estate market collapsed.....REALLY, how APPALLING IS THAT !!!! That is what is WRONG with this COUNTRY. I can't for a second understand that, could someone explain that CRAP to me ??? And then it gets better, the COB hires his drug selling rear end. Department heads should fly...YOUR FIRED !!!! The higher ups should be FIRED period. We have law enforcement, fire fighters, and military that don't live in New houses and have never committed a CRIME. You can say what you want, but you know i'm spot on.

#8 colleen grantham on 12/17/12 at 07:18 PM

Thanks for the newspaper report on meter issues. I realized immediately when I went to pay my mother's electric bill today it was wrong. After arguing with the lady at the drive thru, I went to her house and read the meter and took a picture of it. The bill was read on the 10th and today is the 17th. What was on the bill was higher than what was on the meter today. Just sayin, I think you people living in the city need to read your meter after you get your bill. It could possibly save you some money. The only problem now is waiting for them to dispatch someone to reread the meter. Thank God , I live in the county. I feel sorry for the senior citizens that are counting every penny they spend and this might be happening to them. It happened to my mom.

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