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A 93-year-old Bay City man froze to death inside his home just days after the municipal power company restricted his electricity use because of unpaid bills, officials said. The man, Marvin E. Schur, died “a slow, painful death,” said Kanu Virani, Oakland County’s deputy chief medical examiner, who performed the autopsy. Neighbors discovered Mr. Schur’s body on Jan. 17 and said the indoor temperature was below 32 degrees, The Bay City Times reported. Mr. Schur owed Bay City Electric Light and Power more than $1,000, said Robert Belleman, the city manager. Mr. Belleman said that the utility’s policies would be reviewed, but that he did not believe the city had done anything wrong.

Bay City raises electric rates as Marvin Schur's death spurs anger (http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2009/01/bay_city_raises_electric_rates.html)

Sad, they need some rules and policy about utility companies turning off the power during the winter.

I was under the impression this was against the law everywhere but Florida.(Winters weren't terrible there but when it was frosty ou it could get uncomfortable waiting on the school bus, but you really only could wear a cost that'd fit in the lockers and then it'd be hot in the afternoon so the coat would have to be something that'd fold easily pluses if it'd fit in a backpack.

Posted from my Windows Mobile Phone.

The city should have Mr. Belleman, the city manager sit in that house in similar temperatures for the same number of days as Mr. Schur did without power and see if he thinks his statement of the city not doing anything wrong is still admirable. :mad:

To defend the action that needlessly allowed a man to perish is a self-centered excuse to justify bad management with no regards to others well being.

Mr. Belleman could have apologized for making a terrible decision that revealed a dangerous flaw in city policy that would now be addressed and corrected, also providing a new helpline available to the elderly, handicapped, etc. should assistance be needed during these cold winters and tough economic times. - Dale