TITLE
Recommendation to authorize the issuance of a refund check in the amount of $142,656.71 to gas utility customer Long Beach Unified School District -- Hughes Middle School, pursuant to Long Beach Municipal Code Section 15.40.075 Refund of Gas Utility Charges. (District 8)
DISCUSSION
Hughes Middle School, located at 3846 California Avenue, is a Commercial/lndustrial gas customer. In March 2007, Long Beach Gas and Oil (LBGO) completed an exchange and upgrade of the existing gas meter. Part of the meter upgrade was to adjust the billing methodology; unintentionally, the adjustment was not made, resulting in an overcharge, which was discovered and corrected by LBGO in March 2010.
Accordingly, LBGO requests a refund of $142,656.71 to the Long Beach Unified School District - Hughes Middle School to address the overcharge. In a review of the Utility Billing System, no other accounts were identified with similar billing inaccuracies.
This letter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Richard Anthony and Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on June 23, 2010.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on July 13, 2010, to avoid further delay in processing the refund.
FISCAL IMPACT
The refund will be paid from the Gas Fund (EF 301). This action will have no impact on jobs.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CHRISTOPHER J. GARNER
DIRECTOR OF LONG BEACH GAS AND OIL
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER