CHESTER – After the prayer and pledges, Mayor Robert Poynter immediately opened the meeting to public comments with Entergy Customer Representative Christy Brown sitting beside him.
Every council person and all the guests had some powerful words regarding the series of outages. Several, like Mayor Pro-tem Bryan Davis and Poynter knew the history, Davis recalling the changes in the location of the substation and the deregulation.
Brown took copious notes and her generous smile was ameliorating as she took serious heat.
Poynter told how “aggravated” he was over the process. “Getting out of hand” and Chester had “too many elderly” with many on oxygen. Davis and every council person voiced perturbations.
Chester residences Betty Jackson and her son Glen Williams and Dee Beal questioned. Why did their bill go up by a half when they got a new meter? How come they do not get a discount when their generator runs for days?
Poynter was exceedingly generous in allowing the discussion to go on from everyone as Brown tried to field the questions she could answer. She agreed with the frustrations and gave all her phone number.
Brown provided a handout outlining Entergy’s recent work and agenda.
Davis praised the work of the local linemen, men that he himself had questioned, concluding it was “corporate” that did not care about them, a comment resonating with most all. Everyone understands an outage during a hurricane. But on clear sunny days, and hot days, and on a seemingly regular basis—there were too many outages to have credible excuses.
Chester is 24 miles from the substation. The main reason for recent outages, Brown said, was because of vegetation. According to records, it had been seven years since Entergy contract with trimmers, two more years over their normal five-year schedule. Entergy has cleared about seven miles and plan to have the rest cleared by the end of July. They are in the process of evaluating every pole for rotting along the entire line. Each pole about every 200 feet and will be graded and addressed accordingly.
Davis asked Brown “where will all this go” after she leaves.
Brown weathered the heat with compassion and promised to send the complaints upstairs.
The City Hall’s A/C had problems, and the council voted to take bids from several local experts.
The financials were approved without much ado.
