CENTERBURG — Centerburg voters passed by slim margins aggregation programs designed to lower energy costs.
In final, unofficial results, the electric aggregation program passed by three votes, 290 to 287 (50.26% and 49.74%, respectively). Voters approved the gas aggregation program by a slightly wider margin, 294 to 281 (51.13% and 48.87%, respectively.)
“The mayor and village council members are excited for this opportunity to bring energy utility savings to our residents through bulk purchasing,” Village Administrator Richard Dzik said.
“We look forward to the next steps, which include working with Knox County and our other local municipal partners to leverage strength in numbers to help control our local energy costs.”
In the aggregation process, energy suppliers bid to provide the electric or gas. Bob Snavely of Palmer Energy, consultant to the Knox County Board of Commissioners and the City of Mount Vernon, previously said the greater the consumer pool, the greater savings can be negotiated with the suppliers.
The village plans to enter into a program with Knox County being the aggregator. Mount Vernon and Fredericktown are in the process of joining that program also.
The county, city, and Fredericktown have reported savings for their residents through their aggregation programs.
Although the electric aggregation passed by only three votes, it is not enough to trigger an automatic recount by the state.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, the winning vote must be less than 0.5% of the total vote. In this case, the vote would have to be 289 to 290 to trigger an automatic recount.
A liquor option passed handily, 87.75% to 12.25%.
Tuesday’s election results are unofficial until the Knox County Board of Elections certifies the vote.
