Electric rates anger residents

Staff report

COLUMBIANA

City council has decided to look at expenses before deciding anything on citizens’ complaints about high electric rates.

Some people at Tuesday’s council meeting said they want lower electric rates. One woman told council that her electric bill is “close to $500” a month.

On Tuesday, council voted to watch spending on electrical costs for two months, then voted again to watch costs for October through December.

The city generates its own power and can sell some of the excess to other utilities. City manager Keith Chamberlin explained that the city has long had extra electrical funds in an account, around $2 million a year, used for city expenses.

One man told council, “If you have some money, we need it back.”

Jay S. Myers, a marking representative for American Municipal Power Inc., gave a presentation on why the city should join its consortium of communities that buys electricity in bulk to lower electric costs.

Myers explained that electric power used to be inexpensive, but prices have risen. Council later gave the first of two readings needed to join AMP.