By Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com Reporter
MOUNT VERNON — Councilman John Booth told city council members on Monday night that they had options and good news regarding the city’s electric aggregation program.
The good news is that when the city’s aggregation contract with AEP Energy expires in June 2017, the new rate will be lower. The current electric generation rate is 6.19 cents per kilowatt hour; the new rate offered by FirstEnergy Solutions is 5.33 cents per kilowatt hour. “When we checked with [AEP Energy], they could not match the 5.33 number,” Mayor Richard Mavis told council.
Mavis said the reason for the decrease is that more and more generators are gas-fired rather than coal-fired. Since gas is cheaper than coal, the price of electricity is going down.
Mavis said residents will receive a letter next year notifying them of the change in suppliers. Residents in the program will automatically be re-enrolled unless they opt out. The new contract will be effective July 1, 2017.
Councilwoman Nancy Vail asked Mavis to check with other communities that use FirstEnergy Solutions as their electric provider. “We want to be sure service is continued, that there are no blink-outs,” she said.
Mavis also said that beginning in September, residents enrolled in the aggregation program will see a new fee on their bill. AEP Energy will assess residents a capacity performance charge in the amount of 0.003 cents per kilowatt hour.
Council adopted an ordinance amending the city’s municipal income tax to bring it up-to-date. “The [state] Legislature in Senate Bill 172 made a number of what I would consider technical changes,” said City Law Director Rob Broeren. Those changes involve the due dates for businesses to make payments and the way businesses make electronic payments. The changes do not affect individuals, only businesses. Council members also took other action:
Approved the appointment of Cindy Cunningham to replace Ian Watson to the Library Board of Trustees.
Authorized the city auditor to transfer funds and make supplemental appropriations. Appropriations include $4,500 from the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County for pickle ball courts; $39,356 and $7,416 from Ariel Corp. for tree removal on West High Street and planting in Ariel-Foundation Park, respectively; and $12,002.92, an insurance retainer for a structure fire at 300 Greenwood Ave.
Adopted an ordinance raising the compensation of Probation Officer No. 3 to $19 an hour ad the probation clerk to $18.50 per hour.
Discussed in a committee meeting the potential revision of the job description for city law director.
Miscellaneous Items:
*CJ Davis Holdings Co., DBA Amato’s Woodfired Pizza of Mount Vernon, has applied for a liquor control license at 668 N. Sandusky St., at the southeast corner of Sandusky Street and Belmont Ave. Anyone interested in commenting on the application can call the Mayor’s office at 740-393-9517.
*Health Commissioner Julie Miller presented first- and second-quarter statistics to council.
*Council presented a proclamation to Joy Harris of Interchurch Social Services recognizing September as Hunger Action Month.