To shed some light on Teresa M. Raley’s article letter to the editor on Oct. 17 (“Here’s a way the next president could put some people to work”), where she speaks about getting estimated bills from the power company time and time again.
Here is what I found out in my own personal experiences.
About six or seven months ago I got a letter from them stating they couldn’t read my meter because my dog was in the yard.
I called them and explained my little beagle that stands all but a foot off the ground wouldn’t bite anyone one, and can’t see how he could pose a threat to the meter reader.
The operator started laughing as I explained that yes, he barks, but is very friendly, always wagging his tail, and if they could give me a day and a time I would be sure the dog was inside.
The operator was still laughing as I described my little dog and how all the delivery personnel that came to my house were all friends with the dog.
She said she would look into it and asked me to give her the numbers on my meter. I did so and there were no problems.
Then about a month or two ago I got the same notice about how the meter couldn’t be read because of my dog. I called again and got a different operator and she did the same thing, started laughing as I described my little dog and I requested that a supervisor call me to discuss this matter. Still to this day waiting on that call.
In the meantime I happen to catch the meter reader turning around in my neighbors driveway again passing on reading my meter, I stopped him and ask why he was so frighten of my little dog? He said because if he were to get bitten it is a automatic suspension for him and he couldn’t afford to be off work he had a family to feed.
I then ask him to come read the meter while I was there, so the reader got out and we went to the meter with my little dog between us.
So, Teresa Raley, if you have a dog closely remote to your house, that may be the reason you keep getting estimated bills. I think the power company thinks a dog should have a heavy chain around its neck attached to a dog box, far away from your meter.
I do understand no one wants to be bitten but all of the other service companies seem to handle these situations just fine without threatening their employees and allow them to complete their job because no one wants to be suspended either.
They really need to look closely at their policy and train their employees on how to handle these types of situations, instead of saying that any dog is present you don’t get out of your truck.
Jim Dolly Ridgeley, W.Va.
Letters
It could be that the dog is keeping away the meter reader
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Why have the media been silent all this time?
