Lewisburg Chief Fiscal Officer Susan Laux announces the date and times of the two public hearings concerning the village’s electric and natural gas aggregation program. Lewisburg Fire Chief BJ Sewert listens to Laux’s report.
Terry Baver | The Register-Herald
LEWISBURG — Council approved a resolution to join the Miami Valley Communication Council’s electric and natural gas aggregation program.
Council passed the resolution approving the plan of operation and governance for the MVCC in an effort to secure lower rates for village residents.
Voters approved the electric aggregation question that appeared on the March 19 ballot.
A total of 158 yes votes were cast while 130 residents voted no.
Council opted to join MVCC’s electric and natural gas aggregate program after municipal manager Jeff Sewert and chief fiscal officer Susan Laux met with the MVCC.
Sewert told council at the April 18 council meeting it would be best if the village joined the MVCC, because the organization “is a larger group and we would get a better price.”
Laux said two public hearings will be held May 16 to provide residents and owners of small businesses information on the aggregation program.
The public hearings will be held at the community center, located at 261 E. Clay St.
“The first public hearing will be at 4 p.m.,” Laux said.
Laux said the second public hearing “will be directly before the council meeting at 6 p.m.”
The council meeting starts at 7 p.m.
Laux advised both public hearings will consist of the same information.
Laux said the public hearings are at different times “so different people could be able to attend.”
MVCC is working with Palmer Energy, a Toledo-based energy consulting firm, in securing the best possible electric and natural gas rates for the village.
Council also approved a resolution in preparation of placing a tax levy on the ballot at the Tuesday, Nov. 5, general election.
Ohio Revised Code requires council to approve the resolution before the tax levy can be placed on the ballot.
“We have a 3.5 mill levy that is expiring and this is a renewal of that levy,” village law director Steve Hobbs explained.
“The tax levy is for general operating expenses, so it’s not tied to any one particular item,” Hobbs said.
Hobbs said the five-year levy was originally passed in 2019.
“As a replacement, it is using the tax evaluations of 2019, which means we can never collect more than what we collected in 2019,” Hobbs said.
Hobbs said if the renewal levy is approved by voters, funds will be collected “starting in 2026 off of 2025’s taxes.”
Reach Terry Baver at [email protected].
