Hey there! I wanted to share a quick recap of the Public Utilities Board meeting I attended in Denton on Monday, October 27, 2025. It kicked off promptly at 9:00 AM in the Council Work Session Room at City Hall, and I’m glad I stopped by to listen in.
The room had that familiar municipal meeting atmosphere—rows of chairs, a few board members and staff settling in, and the usual quiet hum before proceedings begin. The chair opened things up, checked for public presentations, and since nobody had registered to speak, we moved straight to the consent agenda. No one asked to pull any items, so after a motion by Mr. Robert and a second from Mr. Taylor, it sailed through with a quick, unanimous “aye.” Next up was approving the October 13 minutes, which also passed without any requested changes.
Then we hit the main event: a detailed look at a contract with Exceleron Software, LLC, for the city’s prepaid utilities program. There was a brief technical hiccup while they got the presentation system running, but once everything was sorted, Krista Foster, the Customer Service Manager, stepped up to walk us through it. She explained that the prepaid program, which launched in October 2018, works a lot like a prepaid phone plan or putting gas in your car. You load funds into your account, and the system deducts daily based on actual AMI meter readings. Right now, about 2,100 residential customers out of roughly 81,000 are enrolled, and the board heard how it’s been a real lifeline for folks managing arrears. Since there are no late fees or interruption fees, and about 25% of each payment goes toward paying down old balances, it’s helped keep utilities running for people who might otherwise face disconnection.
The conversation really opened up during the Q&A. Board members dug into the contract’s not-to-exceed amount of roughly $15.46 million over a 20-year lifecycle. Krista clarified that this isn’t a lump sum the city will actually spend—it’s a funding cap based on projected growth (assuming a 5% annual increase in the total customer base and capping prepaid enrollment at 15% of all meters). She broke down the cost structure: a monthly enrollment fee per user, plus per-incident charges for specific alerts like low-balance or pending disconnection texts/emails. Standard SMS push notifications are free, but those targeted alerts incur a small fee. She also noted the vendor can request up to an 8% annual increase, though no vendor has actually used that option so far.
A few board members voiced understandable caution about the projected cost escalation in the early years of the contract, though they noted it’s strictly tied to actual enrolled meters, so there’s no “scope creep.” One member, who also manages residential properties, asked how the program would work for multi-unit accounts or situations where a tenant leaves an unpaid bill behind. Krista offered to take that offline to walk through the specifics. Another board member emphasized that while the $15 million number sounds big on paper, the program has already proven its worth by recovering uncollectible debt and keeping customers connected. After some discussion about the contract’s structure—three initial years followed by ten one-year renewals, plus confirmation that a termination-for-convenience clause should be included—the board voted to approve it, with a motion and second from Mr. Block.
We wrapped up with the management reports. The board briefly acknowledged the Integrated Utility Payment Solutions, Bond Rates, and Future Agenda items, but the standout moment was a question about the FM 1515 Utilities Relocation memo. One board member noted that some documentation had been improperly prepared and asked what steps would be taken to prevent that from happening again. Aaron Skinner, the Senior Project Manager for Capital Projects, responded that his team would implement more thorough dry runs and additional reviews before sending materials to the board moving forward.
With no closed session on the docket, the meeting adjourned efficiently. It was a focused, businesslike session overall, but the prepaid utilities discussion really highlighted how the board balances fiscal caution with a genuine desire to support residents and keep services accessible. Thanks for letting me share my notes from the room! Let me know if you’d like a deeper dive into any of the agenda items.