Apex will hire an external auditor as the talk about high energy bills continues

Apex residents search for answers after receiving theirs utility bills this month.

The city’s financial systems are back online after a ransomware attack in July. Residents now have to bill two or three months’ worth of energy use on one bill, with some paying more than $1,000.

Randy Vosburg, Apex’s city manager, had to pay about that amount himself. The delay wasn’t the only factor contributing to his payment.

“Timing is everything,” Vosburg said. “This hit us right at the start of a new financial year. There were rate increases that went into effect with that new fiscal year, so people would have seen a higher bill anyway, related to a utility rate increase, because of all the inflationary pressures. We were also a little warmer during the summer months, when people think back to June, July, August. It was kind of a perfect storm for what our residents are experiencing now.

A ongoing challenge for the city communicates with its thousands of customers. Residents have been flocking to Apex City Hall and the city’s customer service centers since late August. While the city’s population has increased, Vosburg says resources and staff are struggling to catch up.

“Because it’s a multi-month event that we’ve been through, and because of the long-term nature, when a customer comes in and talks to them, it’s not a simple two-minute discussion that we have with them,” he said. These calls last between 20 and 40 minutes with each customer… and we have thousands and thousands of customers.”

Among the complaints the city receives, some question the accuracy of their accounts. Apex is in the process of hiring an external auditor to address these concerns.

“We are not an organization that is going to cover up mistakes, pretend that something didn’t happen,” Vosburg said. “This has happened and we welcome someone to come and look at our books, and let’s be transparent with our residents and tell them what’s going on and fix whatever we need to fix.

Vosburg hopes to have signed a contract by mid-November. However, with the holidays approaching, residents may have to continue to wait for an answer.

Meanwhile, Apex is making plans to increase cybersecurity against external threats.