Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Electric Vehicles topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tallmadge sets pilot fee for new electric vehicle chargers, accepts donated stations
Summary
Council unanimously approved ordinance 2025-50 setting an initial fee schedule (45¢/kWh) for three public EV chargers and accepted donated stations; the city will use a one-year free subscription to track usage before revisiting price or additional fees for overstays.
Tallmadge — The council voted unanimously May 8 to adopt ordinance 2025-50 establishing fees for newly installed public electric vehicle chargers and to put the sites into service once payment subscriptions are activated.
Director of Public Service Greg Rohrer recommended a starting retail price of 45¢ per kilowatt-hour and noted the city will receive a one-year vendor subscription free trial. Rohrer said, “So, we have to set a fee… I’m recommending 45¢ per kilowatt.”
Why it matters: The three initial chargers will be sited at the recreation center, Fire Station 2 and the Tallmadge Circle parking lot. Rohrer said the units were donated by Serpentini and the payment platform will be operated through the Flow network. The city will receive transaction revenue monthly, less a 15% vendor fee that Flow charges on each sale. The administration said the 45¢ rate is intended to recover roughly the local average per-kilowatt cost after the vendor fee and to align with regional prices.
Council members discussed operational questions the first year will answer: demand, whether users overstay after charging, and whether the city should add time-based penalties. Councilman Rubino and others suggested a follow-up after the trial year; Rohrer said the city can add penalties such as a parking/overstay charge and can request additional functionality from the vendor. Rohrer also agreed to create a separate revenue line in the general fund so the council can monitor charger receipts.
What council decided: Ordinance 2025-50 passed 7–0. The administration will activate the one-year free subscription, track usage and revenue, and return to council after the trial with recommended pricing, potential overstay fees, and data on utilization.
Additional details: Rohrer said the subscription vendor charges $2,000 per charging station as the platform fee (waived for the year) and a 15% transaction fee. The city will assess locations and consider expansion after the pilot year.
