A screenshot of the home page of the new Wedowee Utilities website.
By Erica Thomas – 1819News.com
(The original version of this story can be found here.)
WEDOWEE — The Wedowee Utilities Board is making improvements after a newly appointed board and new leadership began sifting through documents and working to get a near-bankrupt utility on track.
The Water, Sewer & Gas Board of the Town of Wedowee now has a new website to make things easier for customers and provide transparency. OurWedowee.com has an online pay feature, rate and fee information, and a link to Alabama 811: Call before you dig.
The website also features the annual drinking water report. Benefield said the Board plans to post meeting agendas and minutes to add to transparency.
“The goal here is that, as we said back in February and March, that we wanted to be transparent with the customer base,” said director Randy Benefield. “So, the more documents we can get online, the more documents people can read and really be part of the team, the better. Instead of being outsiders and a company, we are the community. So, we need to help the community grow and they need to be a part of us. So, this is our way of being more transparent.”
The website includes the “Assurance Promise” to reflect the Board’s commitment to being “creative, inspired, and resilient” in helping customers thrive.
Director Randy Benefield told 1819 News that the website will soon include meeting minutes and agendas to enhance transparency.
Benefield was appointed to the director position in February. He said he has worked tirelessly to get the utility on track and answer questions from the public and employees. Benefield said while the utility will work to give information to the public, he also wants to hear from customers.
“I’ve heard nothing but positive from people who comment, you know, ‘We see a change,’ and ‘Thank you,’ so that’s awesome,” Benefield added. “We’re looking for any kind of feedback like that. People can send that via the new website. It helps because everyone is always going to know the bad, but it helps when people get a good interaction if they just let us know.”
