Going up : Electric rates increase
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/61772/
BENTONVILLE — Electricity can be added to gasoline and food on the list of prices increasing for Bentonville residents.
At its meeting Tuesday, the Bentonville City Council approved electric-rate increases to be passed along to customers.
The council voted on the recommendation of Transtec, an engineering consulting firm in Conway, which presented a recommendation for the increases Monday night.
The last rate increase in Bentonville was in August 2005, when the council approved to increase the rates by 8. 5 percent. The council voted Tuesday to increase electric rates for residential customers by 6. 3 percent.
Currently, a home in Bentonville using 1, 000 kilowatt hours each month accrues $ 74. 46 in charges. With the increase, that same home would accrue $ 79. 15 in charges.
In addition to the residential increases, small businesses would see a 6. 2 percent increase, with taxexempt organizations seeing a 5. 3 percent increase. Large-power users would also see an increase of 6. 3 percent.
As part of the increases, the council approved a power-cost adjustment rider, which would level the power cost adjustments to a monthly average and offset high electric bills at various times of the year.
The firm also recommends adopting a net metering agreement that would give customers incentives for using up to 25 kilowatts of solar- or wind-based power at their homes.
In other business, the council approved a bonus to be given to Natural Builders if it completes the concession and restroom building at Memorial Park by May 22. The contractor initially asked for 15 extra days, but city engineer Travis Matlock requested that the council offer the bonus as an incentive for the contractor to work overtime and complete the project before the Memorial Day baseball tournament.
According to the agreement, if the concession stand is not completed by the date, the bonus will not be paid, and the extra days will be given.
Money for the bonus will come from Parks Department bond money.
The council also approved the following items:
• The appointment of Richard Smith to the Bentonville Advertising and Promotion Commission, replacing Chris Clifton’s unexpired term;
• An ordinance authorizing the city to purchase the parts necessary for Substations C & D and Switching Station repairs from Diversified Electric in the amount of $ 51, 000, waiving the requirement of a competitive bid;
• An ordinance authorizing the city to acquire the services of Diversified Electric in the amount of $ 41, 000, waiving the requirement of a competitive bid;
• The addition of a temporary full-time power-line tree-trimmer position to replace John Tennis, who has been deployed to Iraq;
• The transfer of funds between accounts to allow for the purchase of two areas of Carroll Electric lines and customers within the city’s service area;
• A resolution authorizing the purchase of Carroll Electric lines and customers within the city’s service area;
• A resolution authorizing the purchase of Carroll Electric lines and customers within the city’s service on Arkansas Highway 12 from Shell Road to Lee Harris Road;
• A resolution recognizing the generosity of the Shewmaker family and accepting the donation of property for the Mountain Bike Trail System.