WHEELWRIGHT - A chilly night led to hot tempers Monday morning in Wheelwright, after the city's natural gas service was shut off for nonpayment.

Wheelwright officials will meet Thursday to approve a gas hike that will most likely inflame citizens who were protesting outside city hall after Equitable Gas turned off the city's gas supply for 24 hours Monday.

The shutoff came after a series of communications between Equitable Gas and the city over an unpaid bill which accrued after the city found itself unable to pay for gas in January.

Equitable representative Dave Spigglemeyer noted that the shutoff of service on Monday was regrettable and said, “We're in the gas business, not the shutting off gas business.”

Spigglemeyer said that the company had notified Wheelwright of the possibility since July and that payment plans and bills were consistently sent to city officials, but nothing was done to pay the bill, which reached $96,000 by October.

Wheelwright officials noted on Tuesday that the gas line to the city was turned on again after the mayor agreed to pay the increased rate of $21 per cubic foot of gas, which will mean that prices for customers will effectively double. The city had been subsidizing gas rates for residents for years but the increased rates have surpassed what the city is able to pay.

Equitable noted that it has provided a list to the city of six other suppliers that they can contact for service who may be able to lower rates.

Mayor David Sammons explained that the city was forced to capitulate to the gas company or face losing Otter Creek, which recently reopened. The prison is contractually bound to deliver services to its inmates and would face closing down again if the gas stayed off.

Sammons said that the matter still has to face a vote by the city council Thursday, which could lead to more problems if the council votes against paying the increase.