NORTH ATTLEBORO - North Attleboro Electric is looking for ways to ensure that developers pay the electrical bills for streetlights on subdivision streets - without leaving residents living there in the dark.

Until the town officially accepts new roads through a town meeting vote, developers are responsible for paying the electric bills for any lights that line the streets in subdivisions.

Nonetheless, the electric department is having difficulty getting some developers to pay up.

North Attleboro Electric General Manager James Moynihan said seven developers who are the customers of record for private streets are not current with their payments.

While the amount of money is relatively small - ranging from $136 to $545 - some of those accounts have not received a payment since 2007. "North Attleboro Electric is forced, at this time, to use the funds of customers who have paid their bills to provide funds to the developers/individuals who are not fulfilling their contractual obligations to the community and this department," Moynihan told selectmen in a memo. "Candidly, if the accounts in question did not involve street lights and public safety the department would already have taken action."

Moynihan said the department does not want to shut off the street lights because of the threat to public safety it would create for residents.

"We do not envision moving forward with shutoffs," he said.

Moynihan asked both selectmen and the planning board for advice on how the department should proceed.

Selectman Mark Williamson suggested the department may need to consider legal action to recoup the money.

Selectman Michael Thompson questioned whether the bond provided by developers of new subdivisions could be used to pay for outstanding electrical expenses.

However, Town Planner Mary Burgess said later that money cannot be taken from the bond for that purpose. She said the planning board has received correspondence from North Attleboro Electric about the streetlight issue and will discuss it at its next meeting.

Moynihan said the electric department has made a change in its terms and conditions to stop a similar problem from occurring in the future. It included larger security deposits from developers in the future to ensure the costs of street lights are paid before the town takes over the streets.