Dealing with ONG bill problems

Imagine you are an unemployed single mom with three kids; you just completed a course at Tulsa Tech which will improve your job skills. <br><br>You've moved into a new house and for the first time

Monday, November 4th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Imagine you are an unemployed single mom with three kids; you just completed a course at Tulsa Tech which will improve your job skills.

You've moved into a new house and for the first time in a long time the future looks promising. Until you try to get the gas turned on in your new home.

As News on Six consumer reporter Rick Wells explains, no gas with winter approaching puts a layer of frost on that bright future.

Janet Phipps is sitting in front of her only source of heat, a small space heater. This weekend she says it got mighty cold. "I stayed up til about 4:30 in the morning, and I couldn't take it anymore so I went out in the car and slept in the car with my 7 year old and 6 year old." At least she could run the car heater and everyone could stay warm, she has no heat because she has no gas for anything. She heats water for dishes in the electric coffee maker. "I have to do like four or five times, but it works." ONG won't turn on the gas because she has an un-paid bill of nearly $500 from two years ago. "For like two month in a row it was $500."

Her new landlord is trying to help. Brent Adams contacted ONG and offered to pay her monthly gas bill and to put up any deposit required to get the service turned on. â€œIf you need a deposit, if you need anything, I can bring cash whatever immediately. They refused." Janet Phipps is living without heat and hot water.

Brent Adams is frustrated with what he perceives as ONG's inflexibility. Eugene Harris a customer service supervisor at ONG says there is only so much bending they can do. "If the customer will make arrangements with us we will turn service back on for half the bill, with arrangements on the other half, and allow the deposit to be paid out." That as far as far as they are willing to go.

We contacted the Salvation Army about assistance they said they may help and can refer her to other agencies too. The lesson here for all of us, get those utility bills taken care of before they get too high.

The Salvation Army is accepting requests for heating assistance at its downtown location. If you need help or have help to offer, call them at 582-7201.