Members of nearly 80 local churches are negotiating with officials from Duke Energy Co. in Cincinnati and First Energy Co. in Akron to obtain lower utility rates, as well as an adjustment in the time of the month when those bills become due.

Organized by Steve Reece and his organization, Operation Step Up in Bond Hill, the effort involved a meeting at Reece’s Integrity Hall on Seymour Avenue earlier in January to address the high gas and electric bills received by churches, businesses and residents. Local ministers then met with representatives from Duke Energy and First Energy to discuss the situation.

“We expressed to them at the meeting that we were concerned about the high gas and electric bills and thepayment date,’’ said Reece, a community activist and a deacon at New Friendship Baptist Church. “Some church’s utility bills are higher than their mortgage payments, and some have been close to having their lights cut off before their services start.’’

Churches are designated as commercial accounts by the energy companies, and Reece said they should be moved to a non-profit category that has a lower rate. Also, pledges and other funding are received by most churches on the first Sunday of the month, but utility bills are due in the middle of month, he said.

The response from Duke Energy at the first meeting was to obtain bills from the churches which could be reviewed to determine whether the organizations qualify for a lower rate and whether payment dates could be moved from the middle of the month to the first of the month, he said.

Members of other churches are asked to bring their latest gas and electric bills to Reece at his offices at Integrity Hall, 2081 Seymour Ave., or call him at 513 356- 9637. Reece will take those bills to an official at Duke Energy for review.

The meeting with the energy companies is the first in a series of consumer economic meetings being organized by Operation Step Up to deal with “survival issues in the community,’’ Reece said.

The next meeting between church representatives and officials with the utility companies is Thursday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. at Integrity Hall.