Earlier this year, the City of Wellman adopted new standards regarding utility payments in an effort to crack down on delinquent accounts. According to city officials, their efforts have borne fruit, and they’ve seen a drastic decrease in delinquencies. The new policy increased the deposits for gas from $75 to $200, and water from $75 to $100 for all new residents, renters, or developers. The deposit is refundable after 12 months if timely payments are made. Additionally, the city requires people with delinquent payments to sign an agreement that their services will be shut off unless payments are made, while also setting up manageable payment schedules. The city is happy with the decrease in delinquent accounts, and reports there hasn’t been many complaints from the public since the change was made.