After complaints, Central Kentucky city claims to offer help for utility bills
After some criticism, the city of Paris is offering financial relief options to customers who can’t pay their utility bill, according to its website and Facebook post.
The city, which offers electric and water service, also announced it would not be accepting any in-person payments for the time being.
“Those persons who have lost employment, or otherwise been financially impacted by the current COVID-19 outbreak, are encouraged to call our utility office representatives to discuss financial relief options,” the post from Wednesday said.
Despite this announcement, Morgan Breeding Caudill, a Paris utilities customer, said she called the city Thursday to ask about financial relief options and she was told there were no resources left. Caudill said she also was told disconnections or cutoffs would continue without extensions of payment deadlines.
The city came under fire from Facebook commenters earlier in the week after the city asked residents continue to pay their bills during the coronavirus pandemic.
“During this time of heightened awareness we would like to ask customers to use the payment drop box located in front of the city building to make utility and tax payments,” the post from Monday said.
The post also said the dropbox would be checked multiple times a day, and reminded customers they could pay online.
Commenters were displeased that the city did not say whether or not it would suspend shutoffs for non-payment during the pandemic.
“So what happens to all the people that are out of work because of the virus,” Caudill asked in a comment. “Everywhere is suspending disconnects. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“This isn’t very #TeamKentucky,” Victoria Jessica Allen said.
Several private utility companies in Kentucky have suspended disconnects for the time being, which the Kentucky Public Service Commission ordered all utilities under its jurisdiction — investor-owned utilities, rural cooperatives and water districts — to do on Monday. However, the Public Service Commission does not regulate city-owned utilities, according to its website.. There are roughly 30 city-owned utilities in Kentucky, according to one accounting.
Paris officials did not answer multiple phone calls seeking comment about its billing policies during coronavirus or clarification about the “financial relief options” available.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 10:40 AM with the headline "After complaints, Central Kentucky city claims to offer help for utility bills."