Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Scottville is a city in Mason County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,266 at the 2000 census. The city of Scottville itself is approximately 10 miles east of Ludington, in rural Mason County. Ludington is the county seat for Mason County. Ludington is considered a tourist town and many major recreational events are scheduled in the summer months with the Scottville Clown Band. On July 23, 2007 Governor Jennifer Granholm announced Scottville as the community chosen by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to take part in the Cool Cities Michigan Main Street program. Scottville will receive five years of intensive technical assistance through MSHDA, to help create opportunities for new development, economic growth and jobs. A similar award, the Blueprints for Downtowns award, were announced to be received by the communities of Caro, Clio and Ypsilanti.