When Alderman Tim Otten learned that New Haven owed $700,000 to the town’s gas management company after an unusually harsh cold front in February, he thought it was greed.
“This is not an acceptable practice and we must put a stop to this immediately,” Otten told the St. Louis Record. “Everyone at the state level says Attorney General Eric Schmitt must respond on this issue, and at this point, we have heard nothing from him.”
Otten is among the 80 elected officials who signed a letter written by GOP Representative Aaron Griesheimer (District 61) asking Attorney General Schmitt to step in and address the situation.
Alderman Tim Otten
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“The natural gas shortage has crippled the Midwest and hurt many of our constituents,” Griesheimer stated in the March 4 correspondence. “The towns of New Haven, Hermann, and Berger together comprise the Municipal Gas Commission of East Central, Missouri. They recently received a bill totaling close to $1.6 million. This represents a quadruple increase in the price.”
But the coalition of politicians has yet to hear from Schmitt, according to Griesheimer.
“If the attorney general takes a look at it and determines that there was no price gouging, then, unfortunately, we're stuck with the prices that we're dealt,” Griesheimer told the St. Louis Record. “I hope that's obviously not the case, and that's why we're asking him to take a look at it. If it is the case that he doesn't find anything, then maybe there are other steps legislatively that we can explore.”
In Griesheimer’s district, the towns of New Haven, Hermann, and Berger collectively buy their natural gas and then separate the cost depending on supply and the demand.
“We would like the Attorney General to ask the Missouri Governor to issue an emergency declaration like Kansas and Illinois have done,” Otten said. “This would enable us to approach the federal government and ask for assistance. The Missouri Governor's office has sent us several emails stating that they are waiting for the Attorney General to request this declaration.”
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly cited the natural gas price surge when she issued a declaration last month, according to media reports.
“The point of my letter to Eric Schmitt is just asking the attorney general to look into the possibility of price gouging because I want to make sure that nobody is being gipped,” Griesheimer said. “I’m doing my job as a public official and a servant of the people. I’m just trying to help out.”