Wednesday, May 22, 2013

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Woman heated with electric cooperative
Posted: 03.10.2013 at 8:15 PM
Justin Andrews

Justin Andrews is a Multi Media Journalist with KTVO

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A Macon County woman claims a local electric cooperative wrongfully shut off her electricity.

 / MGN
Photo

MACON, MO. -- A Macon County woman claims a local electric cooperative wrongfully shut off her electricity.

However, Macon Electric Cooperative tells us they never disconnect a member's service who never had a penalty.

Christina Yadon is not buying it. Yadon lives in Atlanta, Mo. and admits she fell a little behind on her electric bill because she was unemployed for most of last year.

"I tried to pay them everything I could pay, they still try to come shut you off," Yadon tells KTVO's Justin Andrews.

She said she tried to pay anywhere from $40- 65 every time she got paid. She said now she can't afford to pay her banking fess, water bill, and food for her household because she claims Macon Electric Cooperative is getting all her money.

We wanted to look in to the situation further so we contacted Macon Co-Op to ask how they generally go about handling delinquent or past due bills with their members. It was never disclosed to Macon Co-Op who the person was.

Kami Mohn, Marketing and Communications Manager for Macon Co-Op, tells us they try to help all their members.

"If a bill becomes delinquent, then we would send someone out to collect that past due amount and if the member is unable to pay the past due amount then it would be at that point in time that they could be disconnected," Mohn said.

Mohn tells us they ask all their members, who are encountering some issues with paying their bills to just stay in contact with them.

"We are a cooperative, which means we're a member owned utility and so we try to do everything that we can to help people," Mohn said. "We obviously don't want to put anybody in danger or put them in a situation that puts them at risk or their family at risk."

However, Yadon said, "That's what I want to know is how they say they're helping because they've never offered me any assistance."

After looking on Macon Electric Co-Op's website and speaking with Mohn, KTVO did find that they offer assistance.

It's a program called Care and Share, it offers emergency energy assistance to individuals and households facing difficult financial situations.

"Our mission is to provide excellent service to our members in the most efficient manner possible," Mohn said. "So we have to be sure we take care of the whole of our membership."

Yadon said if Macon Electric Cooperative would just take off their fees, then she would be ok.

"When we go out to do a collection the member is made aware of what the fees will be for us coming out to collect or disconnect," Mohn said.

Macon Co-Op says they even send out letters to warn their members of any charges or fees that they owe.

Yadon tells us she's never received a special notification.

"I have never received a separate letter, never, never," Yadon said.

Yadon tells us she has somehow managed to keep her electric on this month, but she's afraid it may get shut off again.

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