Tiskilwa residents to vote on electric aggregation
TISKILWA — Tiskilwa residents will vote on an ordinance to lower their electric rates they pay each month.
The Tiskilwa Village Board voted Tuesday night to place an ordinance on the November ballot for residents to allow the board to negotiate for lower per therm rates with another electric provider. Currently, the village uses Ameren Illinois.
If the ordinance passes, the board will enter into a two-year contract with another company to pay for electricity usage for residential and light commercial uses.
Mayor Randy Philhower said four other towns in Bureau County had similar ordinances approved by residents in April.
“We may have to hold a special meeting to answer questions about this program,” said Philhower. “If the referendum passes, everyone in town will be in the program selected by the board. Residents will have to opt out if they don’t want to go with the program.”
Residents in Spring Valley, Malden, Walnut and DePue voted in favor of electric aggregation ordinances in April.
Philhower said water consumption will be up in August from the normal monthly usage because of a total of 50,000 gallons used by the fire department to battle two house fires and because about 10,000 gallons of water each day is being pumped on the former football field to prepare it for the Princeton High School soccer team to play on the field.
The board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday to interview five candidates for a village employee position to replace Gerald Vainowski, who submitted his resignation letter on Aug. 5.
Philhower added that some properties in town are in “rough shape” and haven’t been repaired even though letters were sent about a year ago asking owners to improve these properties. Philhower will talk with village attorney John Isaacson on what can be done.
Trustee Steve McKenney said these properties don’t reflect well on the village, and board members should consider condemnation. Philhower asked if that would be a good use of taxpayer funds because the village could spend more money doing this than the properties are worth and not be able to sell the lots at a price to recoup the funds spent to condemn them.
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