Roughly 1,500 customers are still on COVID-19 payment plans to pay back about $1.2 million that is owed to Owensboro Municipal Utilities, officials announced Thursday during a monthly meeting. Officials also said approximately $430,000 worth of late fees has been waived so far this year.
According to General Manager Kevin Frizzell, OMU created about 1,800 payment plans that totaled nearly $1.5 million that was owed to the utility. As of Dec. 14, those numbers had dropped to 1,500 plans and $1.2 million owed.
Currently, about 600 accounts are eligible for disconnections — 97% of which are residential. OMU resumed their normal disconnection process for nonpayment on Dec. 3 as permitted under Gov. Andy Beshear’s executive order on Oct. 19.
“They are ones that have either come on since the disconnect moratorium was lifted or ones that may not be able to keep up with their COVID payment plan,” Frizzell said of the accounts eligible for disconnect.
He added that OMU is disconnecting about 48 accounts per week, though they will slow down over the holidays.
Disconnections are prioritized based on the largest balances and longest unpaid balance.
“Our customer service folks are working very hard with those customers to make sure we do everything we can to prevent them from getting to the point they’re disconnected,” Frizzell said. “We don’t want to disconnect any customer. It’s a part of our business we don’t like. We’re trying to avoid it whenever we can.”
Frizzell also provided an update on waived late fees. While OMU is required to waive late fees for residential customers through the end of December, those fees were reinstated for commercial customers with bills due on or after Nov. 6.
Through Dec. 14, more than $308,000 worth of late fees had been waived for residential customers. Nearly $122,000 worth was waived for commercial customers.
Frizzell said while customer service will continue to work with all customers to avoid disconnection, the lobby will remain closed to the public. Those needing assistance can still utilize the drive-thru window.
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