 |
|
|
||||
|
Doing Business with the City of Waterloo Be careful, be very careful.
Our firm was contracted to make modifications for the City Clerk's office of the City of Waterloo, Iowa to their account receivable software. We took our direction from the City Clerk, Michelle Temeyer. We made the modifications, tested and installed the changes and submitted our bill as we had for numerous other changes and modifications to the same software under Michelle and the previous long time City Clerk Larry Burger as well. Payment had always been received with 30 days during the relationship with the City of Waterloo. This time was different, A new mayor was elected and long time loyal, good employees suddenly were no longer there, Michelle was one of them. There is a new City Clerk and a new Mayor, Sue Fangman and John Roof. It took over a year of monthly billings to finally receive payment, but only the principal not the late charges. These late charges have accrued for an additional two years and are still accruing currently at 18% per year. ( this will make a nice nest egg when I retire in 25 years). Below is a copy of a letter received by us, dated March 5th, 1997 from the City Clerk of Waterloo, Sue Fangman..
In the first paragraph Waterloo City Clerk Sue Fangman states "I had previously requested deletion of those finance charges" Hmmmm, Does that mean if I don't pay my real estate taxes for three years and I simply request the deletion of the penalties and finance charges that they will be removed. I would think that if its good enough for the City of Waterloo, its good enough for the Citizens of Waterloo as well! I think if I owed the City of Waterloo any interest or penalty I would certainly request that they be deleted/removed just as the City of Waterloo does. I mean fair is fair. In the first paragraph, Waterloo City Clerk Sue Fangman states that our original request for payment "was for services that our office had no knowledge or use for". Hmmmmm, I suppose that means if a city employee contracts for a service or goods and is no longer employed, the city can claim it no longer owes the money? Hmmmmm "our office had no knowledge or use for" , why did they send us a check for nearly a thousand dollars then? Do they often write checks for a thousand dollars for things "our office had no knowledge or use for" If they do, perhaps some one should look real hard at the check book in the City Clerk's office, REAL HARD!. In the second paragraph, Sue Fangman says that "you contracted with Michelle Temeyer for changes to the accounts receivable system before her resignation with our office" Hmmmmm, in re-reading the first paragraph, Waterloo City Clerk Sue Fangman stated that "our office had no knowledge or use for". Is it just me, I sure am confused here! The second paragraph states that they never used the modifications. Hmmmmmmm, Well, if I have new tires put on my car, and choose not to drive it, that means I don't have to pay for the tires? I didn't know that! If I go into a restaurant, order breakfast, and choose not to eat it, do you think they will still expect me to pay for it? In the second paragraph the Waterloo City Clerk Sue Fangman states "In fact we are no longer using the accounts receivable software any longer". Hmmmm, So if you don't use it anymore , you don't have to pay for it. That's great, I like that!. I can just buy a new car drive it for 90 days and stop using it, then I don't have to pay for it. Outstanding, I didn't know that. In the final paragraph the Waterloo City Clerk Sue Fangman states "I again request your cancellation of all service charges against our account as the invoice was paid in full". NO! Well, I tell you what, if the City of Waterloo forgives all service charges, interest and penalties due it from everybody who pays their account in full, we'll forgive the $178.51 the City of Waterloo owes us. Sounds Fair to me! On the left hand of the scanned letter below, the unreadable portion is the Mayor and our City Council's names. The Mayor and the City Attorney were called prior to this being posted to the internet for your information, education and open mouthed amusement.
P.S. Please email any similar experiences you have had with the City Clerk or the current administration.
|
|
||||||
