Starting in January 2017, City of Bainbridge utility customers that are in good standing will have the option to participate in a balanced bill program, which will enable them to pay consistent amounts on their utility bill each month.

“We take your 12-month average utility bill from the year before and that’s what your bill will be every month for those 12 months,” City Manager Chris Hobby said. At the end of the year we will take your actual charges and if you’re to the good you’ll get a credit and if you’re to the bad we’ll bill you for that amount. You’ll have a running total of what you’re balance is whether you’re to the good or to the bad.”

To qualify for the program, customers must have been at the same address for at least 12 months, have had no missed or returned payments in the last year and be enrolled in the direct pay program in which the bill is debited from your account each month. The program is also only available to residential customers.

Hobby said that the goal is to enable customers to accurately budget each month without having to worry about spikes in their bill,

“Say you water your yard a lot in the summer, you’re bill will spike,” Hobby said. “This will take the spike out.”

At Tuesday evening’s meeting, Mayor Edward Reynolds also made proclamations for the Blind Federation and Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency for programs that they have going on during the month of October.

The council also approved the reappointment of Gloria Reeves, Al Collins and Emily Yent to a four-year term on the Downtown Development Authority. Darrell Cox was appointed as a new member of DDA as a replacement for Blake Flowers who resigned. Lee Harris was also reappointed to the Board of Health for a six-year term.