With his approval, I am posting on the blog.
Went to a meeting on Friday March 22, held at Unityte concerning the indrustrial electric rates and the demand charges. The 8 largest users and 3 candidates, (Mayor Harl missing) talked over the stuation and presented various ideas. All involved stated it needs to be addressed so as not to lose any industry. I stated these rates being charged are similar to east coast rates. Which was verified. If you want info on your utility bill go the City of Peru website. Go to ordinances and highlight utility. Look at it closely. Everyone is complaining about high bills. Each Apri 30th there is an average (low) 6% increase in your bill. Any questions send them to me.
hartformayor@yahoo.com
In addition to the energy charges, purchase power adjustments, sales taxes, and any
other charges imposed under this article V, electric service, commencing with the
first billing date for each consumer after April 30th of each year, there shall be
a three percent increase to the minimum monthly charge and a three percent increase
to the difference between the energy charge in each rate block and the base energy
charge of $0.0434 as defined in section 114-333, purchase power adjustment. This annual operations adjustment shall be applied to
all residential service, commercial service, and all other non-demand metered rates,
except the economic development rate schedules.
45 comments:
ELECTRIC RATES IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN PERU. ESPECIALLY WITH THE UPCOMING ELECTION. PERUS MAYOR WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE AT MEETING. Wow! This alone will make my vote go with HART. Wonder what Harls excuse is for not being there is? In WASHINGTON? Not a big enough venue to attend. Not very smart not to be there.
Our electric rates affect every aspect of our community. If we don't have economic growth with businesses then everybody suffers. Does Harl think be has this election in the bag? Whereas he need not attend important meetings such as this. Evidently he must be his own campaign manager. Bad bad decision not to have this meeting as a top priority Mayor Harl. Mr. Mike Hart has my vote.
Mr.Hart, what type of practical experience gives you the abilty to discuss rates with Peru business? Taxpayers beware!
What was your idea on the electric rates? I would gladly pay more for electricity if you would give companies a break.
Mr. Harl was not informed of this meeting therefore he was not in attendance!!! I like the way Mr. HART makes it sound as if he blew it off!!!
@1:27 PM Peru's Mayor and City Council Members were not included in the meeting. This was intentional by the economic industrial customers. They were looking for a backroom deal, remembering the past. I think it is cowardly and they know that they are wrong.
Mr. Hart you stated in your article that the rates are the same as east coast rates. Does that mean you are ok with that, if so I think thats not a good thing. The previous Mayor(before Harl) and councils always tried to keep them as low as possible not as high as somewhere else, just because they are the same as somewhere else doesn't mean it's ok to raise or charge that amount here because if thats the way you think I'll take my chances with Baker, he helped to keep the rates low which brought these companies here now we need someone help get them to stay and still keep the electric dept. in the black. He did it one he could do it again.
Well if the commercial companies don't back Harl, that says a lot!! Good luck Hart
HART FOR MAYOR!!!! Harl just wants to party (as if he were important) with the BIG BOYS.
When Mr Hart stated that the rates the industry were paying were similar to those being paid on the East Coast and most of us are aware that that usually prices are higher on the east and west coast, he was just making an accurate comparison of what our industry is paying for electric versus those in other parts of the country. He has a very good grasp of infrastructure, costs and problems.
Anon 2:46 My idea on elecric rates is that I will pay my fair share. No more no less.Why should a 90 year old great grandmother who worked at Westclox for endless amount of years getting a $65.00 a month pension have to reduce her temperature in the winter to 64 degrees and not have AC in the summer but yet no one worries about her electric bills. Yet she has to potentially give up even more so that some company can be kept smiling. Is the work force from these eight largest users 100%Peru residents?
Would the candidates explain if the IMEA is a positive for the future of Peru and if the hydro plant which just sold recs at 40 cents a share when the city not many years ago woud get oover $17/rec. Does the city still owe $16 million on the hydro plant?
Are our rates competitive with other sources and what is the outlook for the future?
I AM BUMMED OUT THAT I AS A CITIZEN OF PERU WAS NOT INVITED TO THE MEETING WITH THE OTHER THREE CITIZENS WHO THESE COMPANIES DESIGNATED AS MY REPRESENTATION. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT NOR THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS.
This is what I term as skewed politics. Although I disagree with this administration I still honor my chain of command and want it honored as such. Corporations do not have the right to pick and choice any more than the rest of us when it comes to setting up their own government in town.
3:11 PM
The meeting was called by many businesses and business wanted a meeting with the candidates. It was not stated why Harl was not there just that he was not. If he was not invited, why? If they move, who will you blame then? And beside neither you or I know what transpired at this meeting.
2:39 PM
Don't be sarcastic when you don't know what you are talking about. Ask your questions with a little bit of respect or you won't get any answers. But I don't really think you were looking for an answer, just wanted to vent to the blogosphere.
2:46 - come on now. $64 a month? What about Socicial Security and Medicare?
Bring Back Baker! Bring Back Baker!
How do we know whether Mr. Hart knows the industrial electric rates on each coast? Each company has a different peak demand which can dictate their rate.
There is an email address and a phone number for Mr. Hart, if you wish to get an answer to your specific questions, make contact, that is your answer. In fact contact each one of the candidates if you have so much concern. It is not a big deal for most people but if it is for you, do it. And be sure to listen to the broadcast at 6:05 PM on WLPO TOMORROW.
According to the mayor, at tonight's city council meeting, no one from the present administration was invited to this meeting. If indeed that is a fact it makes one wonder - WHY?
It was also announced at tonight's meeting that Mr. Kelsey resigned from the rec board and that applications will be accepted for the next 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure there were three (3) applications submitted for the last vacancy. Why isn't the last person on that list offered the position? Come on mayor! At least be consistent when filling vacancies on committees.
Alderman Perez ran his mouth again and upset the HL team( Harl Lukosus) Great job Rod fo sticking up for Peru Businesses. I think if Harl had a BB Gun he would've shot you. Not sure what Perez meant by the mayor not wanting meetings to talk about electric rates!! What kind of joke is that.? Bye bye Harl!!!
10:26 PM
Didn't he upset the other half of the team Ald. Lukosus even more?
Thinking about this meeting held last Friday and it is understandable that they meet with all 3 of the mayoral candidates. People have posted about Don Baker meeting with the businesses previously, in fact he posted to FB on the 22 of March that he had just met with them. With that in mind it only seems right that those interested Peru businesses meet with the remainder of the candidates or it would not look right to be meeting privately with only one of them. As to why they did not invite our present mayor, it might be that it would certainly have been uncomfortable at best with his opponents present. And maybe the companies were also sending our mayor a message.
Most times when Mayor Harl makes up his mind, we all know that it is his way or the highway .
If the businesses are upset with the present administration they aren't going go invite them. They are gonna see who will work with them and back them. It all comes down to they don't like Harl and Potthoff and Lukosus! That's why they weren't invited.
Back room deals and taking advantage of less informative members running for office. A wasted meeting for a political purpose.
The tension and the follow the leader type of behavior that is displayed at these meetings is pathetic. It's like a bunch of children. They can't even get along with one another and if you're not a part of the elite class you're shunned and ridiculed. Those that sit up on their thrones are supposed to do what is best for Peru and all of the citizens therein. For pete's sake grow up and work together for the betterment of Peru. We'd all like to know what's going on in our town and when we hear about possible problems (i.e. businesses unhappy) we'd like to know what you're doing about it. We don't want to sit there and listen to you antagonize one another.
What difference is there between the Mayor or the companies in stating that it is my way or the highway? Stupidity on behalf of the corporations? This has to set Harl off and if reelected which has possibilities what do these firms believe will be his approach to them after elections.
They should have waited until after elections so they would know who the representative of the city will be.
Are the major corporations negotiating for themselves, or for all the small businesses in Peru plus the homeowners also?
Mr.Hart, please be accurate on your post. The average low is 6% on your bill? Mike, how can you have a average low? A average is a average, not a low average. Also my electric bills have not been raised by 6%,every April. Please post your bill.
Someone wrote in about the Great Grandmother who is getting $64/month pension and questioned her Social Security and Medicare. Wouldn't her amount of social security be based on what she made years ago at Westclox and she has to pay for medicare herself every month?
We had been selling electricity to these businesses at a loss, they want to pass it off to the citizens or add to debt!!! What do you think will happen?? Any candidate that states they will lower rates or do away with taxes is only telling you what you want to hear. If indeed they do I would like to see how they balance the budget, CUT CUT CHOP CHOP or create more debt!!
To 4:33PM, March 25,
So you will take your chances with Baker because Don knows how to control electric rates for Peru industry? Get serious!
I suspect you are aware of what I am about to explain but for the sake of others I will proceed.
Don Baker made "Sweet Heart" deals with each and every industry that came to town for their respective electric rates. The city of Peru was consistantly "losing" money on almost every industrial rate.
That's right folks, Don was a good friend to local industry because he was providing a damn "subsidy" to to these companies using your tax dollars.
The Electric Rate Study performed about two years ago exposed the sad and embarassing fact that industrial, commercial and residential rates were in a state of total chaos for each and every division and the city was making a small profit on one rate and at the same time hemmoraging losses on most of the industrial rates.
Thats right folks. I have lived in Peru for more than 40 years and I don't ever recall the Peru city council approving an ordinance allowing Don Baker to deliberately sell electricity at a loss.
Get a copy of the Rate Study and read it. It's crystal clear.
I'm voting for Mike Hart because the first thing Don Baker would do if elected would be to start cutting those back-room deals again giving s--t away.
If our elected officials aren't smart enough to understand that it's imperative that our utility departments turn a profit then we are doomed for sure.
Vote Mike Hart for Mayor.
For the critics, I have just posted the referred to ordinance for your viewing re: utility rates in Peru.
Thank you for posting Lois. So it is a 3% increase? Why did Candidate Mike HART say it was 6%? And why did he imply all accounts have a 3% increase every year when the ordinance says the industrial users are excluded from that? I want someone to be my Mayor that understands how to read an ordinance!!!
12:52 PM
Please read again, 3% plus 3% is 6% according to my math.
Lois, thanks for the ordinance. The posts outlines that the economic development rates were not increased. And yet you have a candidate that posts a low average of 6%. The same candidate Mr.Hart is meeting with industry to lower rates. That would raise rates for us retired home dwellers? Does he know what he is doing?
Your math skills are unparalleled Lois but it's your reading comprehension I worry about. It's two separate 3%'s you will pay one or the other not both.
It is not a 6% increase per year, it is two separate calculations, does anyone know what they are talking about. Mr. Hart, it is spelled "situation "
1:56 AM
Since your comprehension is vastly superior to mine please explain this "three percent increase to the difference between the energy charge in each rate block and the base energy charge of $0.0434 as defined in section 114-333, purchase power adjustment" so the average resident can comprehend.
Nowhere in the ordinance did I see you will pay this OR you will pay that. Maybe this is the reason very few people bother to read the ordinances that are written so that only legal representatives or city treasurers can understand. I also bet that most city council members or mayor could explain it either. I know you are trying to demean me but in doing so you are extending that attitude to 99.9% of Perus' residents.
Do not send your questions regarding electric rates to me as I don't have the answers, send them to the mayoral candidate you wish to answer them. Send it to all of them or use your telephone. I will not post your questions regarding the rates.
All of two years ago the City of Peru reached out to a professional corporation to do a study of the than electrical program in the City of Peru. This survey was contracted at $22,000.
I have asked about the results of this survey but no one seems to remember it. Or perhaps no one understood the results of it since it was done by a professional firm. At the Finance meeting it was brought up that O'Neil Steel was working one shift and getting the lowest rate, a rate at which the city was losing money. No one asked why they were working only the day shift and still getting the lowest rate when the electrical output was at its max and most expensive. If they wanted the lowest rate they should have been working only the midnight shift when output was at its lowest. This was not the only corporation which the city was selling electricity too at a loss.
The electrical foreman and SPW were also at this meeting along with Mayor Harl.
Why be critical of a citizen who has caused a break away from age old bad business practices when all these $90,000+ knucleheads could not understand their own departments and had to get a survey done two years ago and finally have decided to do something with it.
A ususal Lois, you spout off about issues you have no idea about and promote discord just to make yourself out to be the all knowing insider that you are not. You, Kristy and Mike Hart must be related.
7:11 I believe they are. They belong to the family Homo Sapiens. Not neandrathal150.
Its probably why you have trouble understanding their cave drawings.
mayszak(X)
10:10 remember what you said next time you are driving down a new road or bridge it was completed by some local 150 operators that probably live in your neighborhood!! You too are probably one that complains about illegals taking jobs, well get rid of the unions and watch what will happen!! FYI I don't belong to a union!!
Anon 8:45 Are you so union orientated that you believe only unions can build bridges or new roads. Union employees have become so expensive to employ that they don't hire themseves when doing lndscapping etc.
How many union jackets or ballcaps do you see wallking around WalMart. Only limitation is that most organized crafts have told the membership that they know the brother/sister shop there in abundance but leave your jackets and caps home when doing so. For some reason they'll tell you they hate WalMart but can't afford to pass up the prices. But yet they want their union wage. They are so competitive until it comes to their job and at that point it becomes a closed shop. If you don't believe this go to Celebrations 150 and tell them you want to join. Good Luck!
11:14 Great job! I keep saying the same thing. I also say if you work for union then you have to hire union at their prevailing wage or loose your benefits and pension! See how many will be in love with the union then.
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