By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Spring brings the end of the moratorium on disconnection of electric service for non-payment. Only a small portion of Marshfield Utilities customers fall into that category, but the number is growing.  In February there was $186,000 in past due balances over 31 days old, compared to $158,000 for the previous year.

In 2017, there were 181 customers that contacted Marshfield Utilities to set up a payment agreement to get caught up on their bills. However, there were 141 disconnections last April, and the utility says this is a lose-lose proposition for customers and the Utility alike.

To make sure the past due customer is aware of any balance and date of disconnection, the utility has printed the information on the March bill and has included a blaze orange card alerting them of the end of the moratorium. The March bill also has been mailed in a blaze orange envelope that states “Immediate Action Required.” The customer will also receive an automated reminder call on April 9 to the phone number they provided; customers without a phone number on file will have a disconnection notice placed on their door on April 10.

In an effort to be proactive, the utility has also stream-lined the process to request a Deferred Payment Agreement online at MarshfieldUtilities.org.