February 27, 2024

PSA: Upcoming changes to utility bill due dates

While the City offers various payment methods for monthly utility bills, a significant number of utility account holders prefer paying in person at City Hall. Currently, everyone shares the same bill due date, leading to extended wait times and queues at the Utility Billing customer counter, particularly towards the end of each month. This surge in demand frustrates our customers and hampers staff’s ability to address utility billing queries efficiently both in person, and by phone. Recognizing that the existing customer service experience falls short of our residents’ expectations, city officials presented a proposal to the Madera City Council to address this service deficit.

During their meeting on February 21st, the City Council approved a proposal to overhaul the due date dynamics for City utility bills. This change shifts everyone’s bill due date from the 25th of the month to a new date determined by the location of their utility account. Customers will receive advance notice of their updated bill due dates by mail, which will be organized by region for a more streamlined experience.

“Over the span of three months, we observed customers visiting City Hall to pay their utility bills, noting the locations of their accounts,” explained Madera City Manager Arnoldo Rodriguez. “From that data, we organized the city into four billing quadrants, establishing utility bill due dates on the 7th, the 14th, the 21st, and the 28th of each month. We expect that this change will significantly stabilize demand throughout the month, which will allow for improved customer service, especially for our residents who prefer to pay their bills in person at City Hall.”

For more information, please view the Utility Billing Payment Schedule Workshop video.