Electricity, gas, water, sewer

Litchfield Public Utilities provides light and power to the city of Litchfield. New customers should contact the Utilities business office to find out the requirements of establishing a new account. A deposit is required of new residents. Budget payment plans and automatic payment plans are available. A payment drop box is outside of City Hall, 126 Marshall Ave. N. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Utilities office also handles water and sewer billing for the city. Telephone number is 693-3277.

Meeker Cooperative Light & Power also provides light and power to areas in the outskirts of the city. For information, call its Litchfield office at 693-3231.

While residents may choose from different providers, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco is the main supplier of natural gas to the area. CenterPoint Energy’s telephone number is (800) 245-2377.

Telephone, cable, Internet

Three companies provide telephone, cable TV and Internet services in Litchfield — NU-Telecom, Mediacom and Qwest. Residents can apply for NU-Telecom services by stopping by the office, 421 County State Aid Highway 34 S. in Litchfield or calling 593-2323. Mediacom’s telephone number is (800) 332-0245. Qwest’s customer phone number is (800) 244-1111. The area code for Litchfield and Meeker County is 320.

Law enforcement

The Meeker County Sheriff’s Department is headed by Sheriff Mike Hirman. The Litchfield Police Department is headed by Police Chief Pat Fank. The two departments are at 326 Ramsey Ave. N. The non-emergency telephone number for the Police Department is 693-5425; the non-emergency telephone number for the Sheriff’s Department is 693-5400. The emergency number is 911.

Compost site

The city compost site is at 23968 615th Ave., just past Lake Ripley campground on the left. The site is open seasonally from about noon to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Items that can be dropped off include leaves, grass clippings, brush, tree branches, small amounts of dirt with no sod, or other natural vegetation. The site is closed Sundays and holidays, as well as during the winter, except for a few weeks in January when people can drop off their Christmas tree. Items available include wood chips and compost dirt. All services are free. For more information, call 693-7201.

Public transportation

The purpose of Meeker County Public Transit is to offer affordable transportation to the citizens of Meeker County. The bus transports people of all ages and abilities — from young children going to preschool, to senior citizens going to a doctor’s appointment. Riders can purchase a one-way ticket, roundtrip ticket or a bus pass. Buses are handicap accessible and equipped with a wheelchair lift, are air-conditioned and have seat belts for passengers. The bus is available from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, and from 7:45 a.m. to noon on Sundays for church attendees only. Riders must contact Meeker County Public Transit by 5 p.m. Friday to reserve weekend rides. To make an appointment for a ride call 693-7794 or (800) 513-7433.

Garbage & recycling pickup
Waste Management-Twin Cities West of Winsted, Minn., provides residential garbage pic-up in Litchfield. Garbage and recyclables are collected once a week. Items that can be recycled include newspaper, glass and plastic bottles, steel and aluminum cans. Payment drop box for garbage bills is on 5 Second St. E. For more information, call (800) 450-9378. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The mailing address is 128 Sixth St. N., Winsted, MN 55395.

West Central Sanitation of Willmar, Minn., provides commercial garbage and recyclable pickup in Litchfield. For information, call (320) 235-7630.

Post office

The Litchfield post office is at 35 Second St. E. The window is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday. Residents can access their postal boxes from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The phone number is 693-6252.

Local newspaper and radio station

The Independent Review, which is published every Thursday, is the oldest,
continuously operating business in Litchfield. It has won numerous state and national awards. To subscribe or advertise, call 693-3266, visit its Web site at www.independentreview.net, stop at the office at 217 Sibley Ave. N. or send an e-mail to editor@independentreview.net. The local radio station, KLFD-AM 1410, offers local news, as well as state and national headlines. The office is at 234 Sibley Ave. N. For information, call 693-3281 or go online to www.klfd1410.com.