New Mexico State Auditor Joseph Maestas has opened a special audit of Deming’s utility system to investigate skyrocketing utility bills.
Maestas ordered the audit after receiving complaints from the public and pressure from lawmakers to investigate the city's utility system after a whistleblower made allegations of overbilling, and the city stopped short of conducting its own special audit.
Depending on what the audit uncovers, Maestas could refer the case to the attorney general, law enforcement or the area’s district attorney.
“It’s not easy managing a city government,” Maestas told KRQE. “We want to work with the city of Deming to ensure that they’re operating, in this case, their public utilities, in an accountable and transparent matter. That way their citizens are comfortable.”
Symmetry Energy Solutions made a deal with the city for a fixed rate of 61 cents per unit after prices rose more than six times that in January, according to KRQE.
“The whole town, even the businesses are like, ‘what are we going to do,'” one concerned Deming resident told KRQE. “When the year’s up, they will have to go back and renegotiate. We’ll see what happens then."
The city has tried to address the controversy by announcing a more than $1 million relief program to help as many as two-thirds of its customers pay their bills, but concerns remained when the whistleblower alleged overbilling.
The city of Deming said in November it would audit its utility system, but later sent a letter Feb.11, Maestas said, “suggesting that they do a lesser effort that falls short of a special audit.”
Maestas also met with Deming Mayor Benny Jasso to discuss the city’s role in completing the audit.