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Local pastor urges city review of utility disconnections; KBPW says it followed regulations
Summary
Rev. Dinah Tatman told the Kennett City Council she has received reports that municipal utility services were disconnected for tenants because landlords were delinquent; the Kennett Board of Public Works CEO told the council the utility follows regulations. Tatman submitted a three‑page letter citing Mo. Rev. Stat. §441.233 and asked for tenant‑protection policies and independent oversight.
Rev. Dinah L. Tatman addressed the Kennett City Council during public comments on Dec. 2 to request immediate municipal action after what she described as ‘‘unlawful utility disconnections affecting tenants throughout Kennett.’’ Tatman submitted a three‑page letter for the record and read portions of it to the council, citing Missouri Revised Statutes §441.233 and federal due‑process protections as the legal basis for her concerns.
Tatman asked the council to: review Kennett Light, Gas & Water policies; cease disconnections caused by landlord delinquency; confirm tenants may establish and maintain service regardless of a landlord’s unpaid balance; enact tenant‑protection policies by ordinance; and create independent oversight of utility practices. The letter was entered into the official meeting record and attached to the minutes.
Jamie Chidister, Chief Executive Officer of the Kennett Board of Public Works, responded during the same public‑comment period and told the council that KBPW is following regulations applicable to municipally owned utilities. The transcript records Chidister addressing Tatman’s statements and assuring council members the utility’s actions comply with rules; the council took no immediate directive or formal action on the matter during the meeting.
The petition and statutory citation raise issues that would require documentation and review to substantiate. The meeting record does not include evidence presented by Tatman showing specific disconnection records tied to landlord nonpayment nor does it include KBPW’s operational records; both would be necessary to determine whether disconnections violated Mo. Rev. Stat. §441.233 or federal constitutional limits.
What happened next: Tatman asked for an immediate review and written confirmation of tenant protections; the council did not vote on that request at this meeting. City staff or KBPW may be asked to provide records and a written response in a future meeting or as part of a follow‑up inquiry.
Source: public comment submitted and read by Rev. Dinah L. Tatman (letter attached to minutes) and response from KBPW CEO Jamie Chidister as recorded in the Dec. 2, 2025 council minutes.
