Public commenter calls SOPEC a ‘scam’; council asks administration for a report and holds related agenda item

During the public-comment period of the Budget and Finance Committee meeting, resident Stefan Pryor sharply criticized the SOPEC energy-aggregation program, saying it does not save residents money and calling it a "scam." Pryor said residents were paying multiple suppliers and alleged a conflict in how the nonprofit operates.

In response to Pryor’s remarks and earlier public questions, Chair moved to hold item 9 — which relates to participation in the aggregation program — and to put item 10 on for passage. Vice Mayor Jan Michelle Lehi Kearney asked that questions raised, including those from today’s public comment, be referred to the Office of Environmental Services (OES) and the solicitor to be included in a comprehensive report for the committee.

Pryor's core claim was pointed: "The SOPEC Energy Aggregation Program is a scam ... it's not saving nobody no money," he told the panel. The committee did not debate the technical details of aggregation pricing or contracts during the session; rather, members agreed to request a staff report that compiles answers to outstanding questions before the committee acts on item 9.

The committee’s approach distinguishes between testimony and formal action: Pryor’s allegation remained an unresolved public claim in the transcript; the committee neither adopted his assertion nor heard a direct response from a SOPEC representative during the meeting. The requested report is intended to provide factual detail for members and the public so the committee can determine whether and how to proceed on the aggregation matter.