NORWICH PUBLIC UTILITIES EXPANDS PAYMENT RELIEF PROGRAM

Norwich — Norwich Public Utilities this week announced a new Special Payment Arrangement program to assist customers who have fallen behind on their utility bills because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of the pandemic, NPU has seen a significant reduction in its revenues across all four utilities: electric, natural gas, water and sewer. Based on the most recent calculations, more than 20% of NPU customers are past due on their accounts, representing more than $1.4 million in revenue, NPU said in a news release announcing the new program.

“NPU is fully committed to doing all that we can to help our customers during this unprecedented time,” NPU General Manager Chris LaRose said in the release. “And with the SPA program, we are offering our customers more time to catch up on their bills without incurring late payment penalty fees.”

Under the new program, NPU will offer penalty-free payment plans to all customers requesting assistance through July 1, regardless of payment history. The payment arrangements can be extended to a maximum of 24 months, to July 1, 2022. Current charges and the agreed-upon payments for back bills must be paid on time each month for customers to remain eligible for the program.

Customers with existing payment arrangements are eligible to recalculate their agreements with NPU and participate in the new SPA program, the news release said.

“We recognize that these are unprecedented times in our community and across our nation,” LaRose said. “We continue to support the state’s moratorium on utility shut-offs and have temporarily suspended the collection of security deposits.”

To learn more about the program, contact NPU’s Customer Service Center at (860) 887-2555.

— Mayor & Council Municipal Building, 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting. — Groton Utilities Commission/WPCA Municipal Building, 10:30 a.m., virtual meeting.

GROTON TOWN

— Permanent Municipal Building Committee, 5 p.m.; Library Commission, 7 p.m.

— Pension Board, 9 a.m.; Planning and Zoning Commission, 7 p.m.

— Finance Committee, 5 p.m.; Board of Education Facilities Committee, 5 p.m.; Board of Education Finance Committee, 5:45 p.m.; Board of Education, 7 p.m.

— Farmers’ Market Committee, 5:30 p.m.

LYME

— Board of Selectmen, 3:30 p.m., via Zoom.

MONTVILLE

— City Council Economic Development Commission, 5:45 p.m.; Public Hearing on 2020 Neighborhood Assistance Act Program, 6:45 p.m.; City Council, 7 p.m.

— Board of Education Police Committee, 6:30 p.m.

— Veterans Advisory Committee, 7 p.m.; Parking Authority, 5:30 p.m.; Planning and Zoning Commission, 7 p.m.

NORWICH

— Historic District Commission, 4 p.m., web conference; Redevelopment Agency, 6 p.m., web conference; City Council, 7:30 p.m., livestream at norwichct.org and broadcast on Comcast Norwich Channel 97.

— Board of Assessment Appeals, 1 p.m., teleconference; Personnel and Pension Board, 1 p.m., remote access; Commission on the City Plan, 7 p.m., remote access.

— Recreation Advisory Board, 6 p.m., remote access; Golf Course Authority, 7 p.m., remote access.

OLD LYME

— Community Connectivity

— Board of Finance, 7 p.m., teleconference. — Democratic Town Committee, 7 p.m., teleconference.

STONINGTON

— Mystic Fire District annual meeting, 4 p.m., virtual meeting; Stonington Fire district annual meeting, 6 p.m., virtual meeting.

— Retirement Board, 11 a.m., virtual meeting; Planning and Zoning Commission, 7 p.m. virtual meeting.

WATERFORD

p.m.

— Municipal Emergency Committee, 3 p.m.; Board of Selectman, 5 p.m.; Utility Commission, 6 p.m.

p.m.

— Planning & Zoning, 6:30

— Board of Finance, 7

— Waterford-East Lyme Shellfish Commission, 4 p.m.; School Building Committee, 5 p.m.; Waterford-East Lyme Shellfish Commission, 7:30 p.m.