Attention, utility customers of Port Charlotte: You'll need to plan your business with the Utilities Department customer payment center around a brief closure this week. The center, situated at the Murdock Administration Center on 18500 Murdock Circle, will experience a hiatus in its in-person and telephonic customer service on Wednesday, March 26. According to a press release from Charlotte County, the walk-in center will be inaccessible from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., while the customer service phone lines will be shut down from 11 a.m. all the way til 4:45 p.m.

The scheduled downtime is set to facilitate an unspecified event that requires the full attention of the customer service staff. For those needing to make bill payments during this window, the county has ensured accessibility remains unhampered via alternative means. As pointed out by Charlotte County's announcement, "you can still pay your bill using our convenient electronic billing" or by calling a dedicated phone line.

Should residents encounter utility emergencies during the hours in which the customer service is unavailable, there is no cause for concern. Standby staff are primed to respond, reachable at the same phone number that serves for electronic bill payment. Meanwhile, non-urgent queries, which might percolate in a customer's mind, can be directed to the Utilities Department via email at [email protected].