Highland residents unable to pay utility bills saddled with visible shutoff notices

Highland residents struggling with utility bills have a number of resources for help, but city leaders still have to hang a shutoff notice in plain view.

City Manager Chris Conrad said the city had received complaints about shutoff notices for city-provided utilities being placed in clear view as door hangers on front doors.

A recent post on a community Facebook page criticized the practice as embarrassing to people who might be having financial difficulties, with more than 140 comments discussing the issue. Several people then called into the city asking them to revisit the policy. Highland bills residents for water, sewer and electric service.

However, Conrad said the process for late notices and shutoff warnings for utilities is spelled out by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The state regulations control when and how the notices are delivered, including requiring them to be on the front door. The regulations even dictate the color of the paper on the notices, Conrad said: a reddish-orange color.

However, both Conrad and Mayor Kevin Hemann acknowledged it can be embarrassing, and difficult for residents who may be struggling.

“It is a delicate issue and there can be extenuating circumstances,” Hemann said.

Sometimes the notices get a resident’s attention after a bill has been forgotten, but sometimes it comes from an economic hardship. Conrad said people who are faced with a utility bill they can’t pay should call the city as soon as possible. “We have a multitude of payment options we can work out with people,” Conrad said.

If payment plans won’t help, there are also programs for utility bill assistance. Conrad said they can put residents in touch with the townships, which have programs for such assistance, or the Highland Area Christian Service Ministry, which operates as a “social safety net” in Highland.

“Depending on the situation, they have resources,” Conrad said. “Don’t ignore it, just call us.”

However, despite the struggles many have had in recent years, Conrad said Highland has not seen any significant increase in non-payment of utility bills from prior to the pandemic.

This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 5:31 PM.