.CPS Sends Cutoff Notice to Over 1,000 San Antonio Soldiers
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Fort Sam Houston has received 1,300 utility service termination notices for delinquent bill payments, which officials blamed on a major budget shortfall.
CPS Energy warned commanders at the post to pay $4.2 million by Wednesday or risk losing power. The post is three months behind on its bills, but both Army and utility officials said the two parties were talking and no cutoff was imminent.
"Who would imagine us not paying our bill?" said Col. Wendy Martinson, Fort Sam Houston's garrison commander. "I worry about it. I can't sleep at night."
The post, which trains medics, faces a $26 million budget shortfall this year - a problem that officials said is symptomatic of the financial woes facing posts worldwide.
Only commands at Fort Sam Houston funded by the Army Installation Management Agency are affected, which excludes Brooke Army Medical Center.
The installation management agency is wrestling with a $530 million deficit and is awaiting funding from a $94.5 billion supplemental appropriations bill. The Senate is set to vote on a revised supplemental bill following House approval earlier this week. The funds are intended for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as hurricane relief.
Martinson said the supplemental funding would be a temporary fix. To deal with the budget crunch, the post has fired 100 contract workers, frozen hiring, shut off cell phones and BlackBerry devices, turned in leased cars and stopped troops from using government credit cards.
Steve Oertwig, a spokesman for the installation management agency, said funding allocations from the supplemental bill would be prioritized on the basis of support for troops destined for the war zone, health and safety needs, and civilian payrolls for permanent civilian employees.
In the meantime, officials from CPS Energy and Fort Sam Houston are talking daily.
CPS officials said the shutoff notices were automatically issued by the utility's computer system.
Customer services director Sylvia Arnold said the utility would work to resolve the outstanding debt, as it does with other customers. She described the post as important to the utility and the community, and said it's not a high risk for nonpayment.
Post spokesman Phil Reidinger said CPS is working with post officials until the supplemental budget comes through.
"From my vantage point, they know we're not going anywhere," he said. "We're not going to skip town."
WOIA
Well aren't we lucky and well served by the republican's support the troops resolution being debated today in the House of Representatives? Sure waste time on a political ploy while thousands of troops could have their lights turned off. Where would we be without this Republican controlled congress. I for one feel much safer.
CPS Energy warned commanders at the post to pay $4.2 million by Wednesday or risk losing power. The post is three months behind on its bills, but both Army and utility officials said the two parties were talking and no cutoff was imminent.
"Who would imagine us not paying our bill?" said Col. Wendy Martinson, Fort Sam Houston's garrison commander. "I worry about it. I can't sleep at night."
The post, which trains medics, faces a $26 million budget shortfall this year - a problem that officials said is symptomatic of the financial woes facing posts worldwide.
Only commands at Fort Sam Houston funded by the Army Installation Management Agency are affected, which excludes Brooke Army Medical Center.
The installation management agency is wrestling with a $530 million deficit and is awaiting funding from a $94.5 billion supplemental appropriations bill. The Senate is set to vote on a revised supplemental bill following House approval earlier this week. The funds are intended for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as hurricane relief.
Martinson said the supplemental funding would be a temporary fix. To deal with the budget crunch, the post has fired 100 contract workers, frozen hiring, shut off cell phones and BlackBerry devices, turned in leased cars and stopped troops from using government credit cards.
Steve Oertwig, a spokesman for the installation management agency, said funding allocations from the supplemental bill would be prioritized on the basis of support for troops destined for the war zone, health and safety needs, and civilian payrolls for permanent civilian employees.
In the meantime, officials from CPS Energy and Fort Sam Houston are talking daily.
CPS officials said the shutoff notices were automatically issued by the utility's computer system.
Customer services director Sylvia Arnold said the utility would work to resolve the outstanding debt, as it does with other customers. She described the post as important to the utility and the community, and said it's not a high risk for nonpayment.
Post spokesman Phil Reidinger said CPS is working with post officials until the supplemental budget comes through.
"From my vantage point, they know we're not going anywhere," he said. "We're not going to skip town."
WOIA
Well aren't we lucky and well served by the republican's support the troops resolution being debated today in the House of Representatives? Sure waste time on a political ploy while thousands of troops could have their lights turned off. Where would we be without this Republican controlled congress. I for one feel much safer.
posted by madtom at 11:12 AM
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