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Residents press O'Fallon City council on electric-aggregation opt-out and recent spending
Summary
At the May 4 O'Fallon City council meeting, residents questioned the city's electric aggregation opt-out process and reviewed line items in the city warrant; staff responded with contract timing, program history and grant context for a major trail project.
Residents at O'Fallon City’s May 4 council meeting raised concerns about the city’s electric aggregation program and several recent warrant expenditures, prompting staff to explain how the program works and to cite a state grant for a multi-million-dollar trail project.
Barnett Miller, who identified himself during the first public-comment period, criticized the way the city enrolls customers in the electric aggregation program, saying customers are automatically placed into the municipal contract unless they call to opt out. "That's not free market," Miller said, asking that his remark be placed on the record.
Another resident identified as "Vermoair Ward 3" ran through items on the warrant report and singled out multiple charges, including a $3,555 Amazon charge, a Commerce Bank card payment of $24,864.53 described as travel and training, $18,221.50 for partial flooring at the police office, and a $312,500 TIF payment to HSHS. The speaker also flagged engineering and construction invoices for park and trail work and asked whether purchases for the wastewater treatment plant had been installed by contractors or city staff.
City staff responded during the council's staff-comments period. Mr. Taylor said the aggregation program has been in place since a 2012 voter referendum and described the mechanics: the city-run program is opt-out, and residents receive a mailer each time the contract renews with instructions on how to opt out. Taylor said the Homefield contract will begin May 1 and that merchant supplier Amron sets seasonal rates (typically a higher summer rate). "If you have not opted out, it's probably a good thing because come June 1 Amron will change their rates again," Taylor said, explaining why some residents might choose to remain in the municipal contract.
Sandy (a city staff member) added technical detail about the timing and consequences of switching suppliers. She said Homefield sets a fixed annual price while Amron adjusts rates in June and October; if a resident opts out and enrolls with Amron, they may be locked into Amron for 12 months. Sandy also said the city’s consultants expected Amron’s summer rate to be higher and reiterated that residents may opt out at any time but could face a 12-month lock with a merchant supplier.
Taylor and Sandy also addressed a question about the Highway 50 shared-use path: the design work stems from an earlier $273,000 engineering agreement and the city has secured roughly $3 million in an ITEP (transportation) grant intended to offset a large portion of construction costs. Regarding copier charges called out on the warrant, Taylor said those reflect copier leases plus overage charges beyond contract copy allotments, not a separate program.
The council did not take policy action on the aggregation questions during the meeting. Officials said they would publish a press release and post rate comparisons on city channels when Amron posts its June rates. The meeting moved on to routine reappointments and contract approvals.
