Apex Residents Await Findings from Utility Billing Audit
Concerns arose following a cyberattack on the town’s systems in July 2024, which led to delayed and inaccurate utility bills, with some residents reporting charges as high as $1,800.
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Apex, NC, Feb. 26, 2025 — The Apex Town Council provided an update on the third-party audit of the town’s utility billing system during its regular meeting on February 25, 2025. The audit, conducted by financial consulting firm Barry Dunn, was initiated in response to widespread billing concerns that arose following a cyberattack on the town’s systems in July 2024, which led to delayed and inaccurate utility bills, with some residents reporting charges as high as $1,800.
Audit Update and Delays
Town Manager Randy Vosburg confirmed that Barry Dunn representatives were on-site last week and will be on-site again next week to continue their work. The firm has now completed all data collection and is currently running simulations, which is a significant and time-consuming piece of the review process.
"We had originally talked about the end of February, beginning of March. We're looking now for mid-March to end of March on that timeline," Vosburg stated. "Again, not something we want to rush. We want to make sure we get it right."
The simulations involve testing various billing scenarios to identify discrepancies and ensure that residents are charged accurately. "They have gone through all of the data collection now, and they're going through simulations, which is the significant and time-consuming piece where they're running the different scenarios on the bills and doing that comparison," Vosburg explained.
Resident Concerns and Town Response
Following the billing issues caused by the cyberattack, over 1,600 residents signed a petition demanding a public hearing and greater transparency regarding the town’s response. Mayor Jacques Gilbert encouraged residents to visit Town Hall to discuss billing issues directly with customer service representatives while the review was ongoing.
Town officials have advised residents to cancel automatic draft payments to prevent potential overcharges temporarily. Meanwhile, cybersecurity enhancements are also underway to prevent future incidents.
Next Steps
The final results of the audit are expected to be presented in late March 2025 once Barry Dunn has completed its review.
For residents with concerns about their utility bills, the Apex Water Resources Department can be reached at (919) 362-8676 or via email at waterbilling@apexnc.org. Mayor Jacques Gilbert’s office can be contacted at (919) 249-3301 or by email at mayor@apexnc.org.