Council authorizes city manager to pursue new electricity broker and future contract

The Dickinson City Council approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement to change electricity-broker arrangements and to pursue a future electricity supply contract.

City Manager Chase Carey told the council that electricity rates fluctuate daily and that timing is critical to securing favorable rates. Carey said the city has been reviewing multiple vendor contracts, including health insurance and engineering contracts, to reduce waste and align service and value. He said the city’s present broker contract with TCAP ends in 2025 and the current supplier contract (referred to in materials as Jexa) runs through 2026; the authorization will allow staff to change brokers now and position the city for a future supply contract.

Why it matters: Electricity procurement affects the city’s operating costs. The council voted to give the city manager authority to move forward with broker changes and preliminary contracting steps. The council asked questions about contract term dates and the intended scope of the authorization; Carey confirmed the broker change is immediate while the supplier contract transition will be managed in the coming year.

The council approved the resolution by voice vote. The motion passed with no recorded dissent in the meeting minutes.