PERRY TOWNSHIP — Perry Township Trustees took another step toward engaging with Trebel Energy Services to provide residents with a cost-saving source of electric service. They accomplished it by passing motions that will lead to entering a contract with the company on the November ballot.
Representing Trebel, Energy Consultant Joe Garrett provided information and answered questions from trustees as they discussed whether to go with Trebel or not.
Perry Township had contracted with Trebel previously, but that time it did not pass on the ballot. Since that time, Garrett believes a lot more people are learning how it works to save them money.
“If people understand what this is, they go for it,” Garrett said, referring to other area communities already using Trebel Energy Services.
Garrett emphasized that if the program does pass on the ballot this time, individual customers can opt out if they wish to do so, but pointed out that by remaining in, they could possibly see savings of 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour.
All three trustees — President Melissa Mears, Zach Music and Blaine Heeter — expressed approval of placing the Trebel plan on the ballot.
“With the raise in electric costs, this has the potential to offer residents a lower rate for their electric service,” Trustee Zach Music said after the meeting.
“If it passes, a resident can opt out at any time. But, it will provide reduced rates for electric service,” Music recapped.
During the visitors’ portion of the meeting, former trustee Ron Price asked if anything had ever been done about checking for lead alleged to be inside of the township maintenance building.
“It came to our attention a good while back that they used to use lead batteries in there. A lot of us spent a lot of time in there and someone said at one of these meetings that there had been a lead content evaluation done — I don’t know when that was,” Price said.
“I’d like to see the report on that, because I spent a lot of time in that building,” he said.
Trustee Mears said it once was a tool and die shop a long time ago and former trustee Dale Seim also was concerned, saying that he, too, had spent a lot of time in the maintenance garage.
“I sat in there, I drank in there. Who do you contact to test it? Why wouldn’t we have it tested? My health might be compromised,” Seim said.
Trustee Music later expressed an interest in looking into that situation.
“If anyone in the township knows what kind of businesses or facilities have been housed in the trustees’ maintenance garage during the last 100 years, please contact me at [email protected],” Music said.
Police Chief Erica Barga said she wanted to promote Officer Cox from part-time officer to full-time status at $20.50 per hour, effective July 24 or July 31, whichever way it works out. Trustees voted to approve her request.
Caleb Hoops, head of the Roads and Cemeteries Department, again reminded residents and others to keep flowers and decorations on headstones only in the township cemeteries.
“And nothing is allowed in the cemetery mowing lanes during mowing season months of March 1 through Oct. 1,” Hoops said.
The next regular Perry Township Trustees meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the township administration building, 3025 Johnsville Brookville Road, Brookville.
