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St. Martinville votes to end utility payment plans, gives customers 15 days to pay or face disconnection
Summary
Council voted to stop offering payment plans for utility accounts and to send notices giving customers 15 days to pay outstanding balances or face disconnection; staff were directed to implement the policy change.
The St. Martinville council voted at its July 1 meeting to stop offering payment plans for utility customers and to issue notices giving those customers 15 days to pay or face disconnection.
The motion to eliminate payment plans was moved by Councilman Mike Fuselier and seconded by Janise Anthony; it passed with Flo Chatman opposed. Utility Supervisor Shika Hector provided an update on the Utility Department and confirmed that a list of accounts had been given to Public Works on June 23, but she said she did not know whether disconnections had been completed.
The council's vote directs staff to send notices granting 15 days to pay, after which utilities may be disconnected. The minutes do not record details on exceptions, processes for hardship, or the number of customers affected; the timeline for disconnections beyond the 15-day notices was not specified.
What happens next: Utilities and Public Works staff were tasked with implementing the notices and enforcement; the council may receive a status update at a future meeting.
Attributions: Utility Supervisor Shika Hector provided the department update on the record; the payment-plan policy change was proposed and voted on by council members as recorded in the minutes.
