In January 2000, Chesterfield County's Department of Utilities, Finance and Administration group had three separate employee Performance Action Teams (PAT's) looking at and addressing issues pertaining to the after-hours reconnection of water service to disconnected customers, the Courtesy Notification Pilot Program which notifies delinquent customers about past due bills, and enhancements and modifications to the format and content of existing water and wastewater bi-monthly utility bills. A review of the proposed solutions for all three teams recognized that the recommendations proposed by the teams overlapped. It was highly likely that a duplication of effort would result if all three teams moved forward to implement their recommendations. In order for all tasks to be addressed and completed without a duplication of effort, from these three PAT's one team was created and empowered to carry out the recommendations of the previous teams. This team's objectives were to revise the Department of Utilities collection policy and procedure to accommodate the following: discontinue making collections in the field after 5:00pm by Field Services personnel; discontinue accepting phone calls on weekends, holidays, and after 5:00pm on weekdays by Swift Creek Water Treatment operators for the purpose of reconnecting customers that have been correctly turned off due to non-payment; revision of the existing collection policy and procedure to accommodate the Courtesy Notification Program including fee changes to County Ordinance 18-30 for trips by Field Services personnel to customer residences or places of business for the purpose of collecting past due amounts or discontinuing water service for nonpayment; and, discontinue collecting money in the field from delinquent customers including cash, checks, and money orders. The team was charged with brainstorming ideas to identify all issues and details associated with these changes, developing an action plan to address all issues and details identified, and reviewing all publications, forms, and written documents associated with the collection process and recommend additions, deletions, and/or changes.