Company Files Suit Against Century Over Unpaid $19K Bill

January 30, 2020

A consulting company has filed suit against the Town of Century over an unpaid invoice that totals over $19,000.

In 2008, City Services, Inc. (CSI) entered into a contract with the town to provide consulting, maintenance and repair services to the town’s natural gas system. The town contracted with the company for an annual natural gas leak survey, pipeline evaluations, testing, rate reviews and other services. Without a timely termination notice, the agreement renewed annually.

According to a City Services bill dated January 8, 2020, the town fell behind on their $1,200 per month bill in October 2018 and last made a payment in December 2018. The bill has continued to accrue and with finance charges stands at $19,287.19.

In their lawsuit against the town, CSI claims they provided services to the town, but the town did not pay and did not object to the invoices. CSI is seeking $19,287.19 plus reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs.

At a recent meeting, the town council voted to have town attorney Matt Dannheisser attempt to settle the lawsuit for a lesser amount. Council President Ann Brooks said an email from Dannheisser to the council suggested the town might settle if the town was unable to produce “documentation”. Mayor Henry Hawkins told the council that the documentation had not been found.

The town denied a NorthEscambia.com public records request for the email, citing state statute that allows the exemption since the email discussed by the council dealt with the pending litigation. The town did not respond whatsoever to a November 27 public records request for a copy of the “most recent statement and/or past due notice showing amount owed to City Services”, but NorthEscambia.com otherwise obtained a copy of that bill.

Comments

13 Responses to “Company Files Suit Against Century Over Unpaid $19K Bill”

  1. Stumpknocker on February 1st, 2020 9:16 am

    Maybe a public records request should be done to see what this company was reporting to the city. And see if all the problems we now know of were present then but just ignored.

  2. Hire a Lawyer? on January 31st, 2020 7:22 am

    So they hire a lawyer to look into this matter and possibly settle? Why not use that money that your allegedly going to pay the lawyer and pay the company.
    This company consults on gas leaks, they don’t fix them. For all we know, they have been telling Century about the problem, and Century did nothing. That seems more plausible to me with the mismanagement going on. We should have a special election that disallows all current and former members of the council from running. People that care need to be in office, not lazy and worthless ones.
    A word of advice for the lawyer Mr. Dannheisser, get paid up front for your services. You may be the next person to sue Century.

  3. Hmmm on January 30th, 2020 11:02 am

    I think mainly this is just indicative of how Century has been operating. They didn’t quit paying because they were unhappy with the consulting company, they just got behind and quit paying because they didn’t have the money. It shows lack of communication and sloppy business practices.

    If they weren’t happy with the services, then they should have addressed the problem with the company. At that point, the company either improves, or the contract is broken and they quit billing.

    For example, if you have a contract with a pest control company to spray for bugs, and you decide they aren’t doing a good job, you call them and explain the problem. At that point, either you continue with them, or break the contract based on them not doing the job satisfactorily. If you allow them to keep coming and spraying your house, you are going to owe them.

  4. jason on January 30th, 2020 9:54 am

    You Darn right there 2 cents

  5. wannabnfla on January 30th, 2020 9:45 am

    Wait a minute, they were supposed to monitor the gas line system to detect leaks, faulty meters, etc? Is that right? With the number of customers not being billed due to faulty meters, why would the Town pay a consulting fee to a company that failed to do it’s job?
    Am I missing something here?

  6. fisherman on January 30th, 2020 9:13 am

    Here we go again. Pay your bills. If you didn’t want them doing the service you should have cancelled their services in December 2018.Clowns in action what a circus!!!!!

  7. Judy on January 30th, 2020 9:08 am

    …so Century has even more bills it cannot pay, and yet they keep on incurring more debt! When will these people learn to stay within their means, or incorporate into Pensacola…if P’cola will have them!

  8. bewildered on January 30th, 2020 8:46 am

    Can’t say I blame the town for not paying, Since 2008 they are using this company to straighten out their messed up gas department. Laughable- did they advise them how to loose 50 percent of their natural gas? ,

  9. 2 cents on January 30th, 2020 8:29 am

    Apparently CSI failed in advising Century how to fix its gas system and ensure it could account for all gas sold. If that was part of their contract, Century should counter sue for the money it lost during the years for the unaccounted gas sales and the money owed this company..

  10. Mat on January 30th, 2020 7:27 am

    Now that they dont have to pay the 2.7 million
    dollar loan back, they should have plenty to pay this bill off.
    $19,287.19 over 750 years comes out to about $25.71
    per year or about $2.14 per month.
    Just pay the bill.

  11. sam on January 30th, 2020 7:03 am

    the city government is dysfunctional. no one is in charge.

  12. Oversight on January 30th, 2020 5:48 am

    Is this a surprise to anyone? Century, here again on full dysfunctional display. The town is the worst with anything financial, and a black hole for taxpayer dollars. You know what is actually past due? The time for the state legislature revoke the town’s charter.

  13. Citizen on January 30th, 2020 1:34 am

    http://www.northescambia.com/2019/08/attorney-threatens-to-sue-century-over-past-due-consultants-bill

    Story from August.

    They should have turned it over to town Atty then

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News