Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ev Charging Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council discusses EV-charger policy, asks staff to study ownership and set consistent citywide approach
Summary
Roeland Park council discussed whether to continue paying for electricity at City Hall chargers (currently owned by Evergy), how to treat new chargers at the community center, and whether to set a consistent, citywide policy with a free introductory period for new city-owned chargers. Staff was asked to estimate the cost to acquire the existing chargers.
Council members discussed policy options for the city's public EV chargers during a workshop that followed the regular meeting.
City Administrator Keith Moody provided background: the original city-owned charging station was replaced and Evergy now owns and operates the chargers at City Hall under a partnership; historically the city has paid the electricity costs. Moody said usage has grown and that Evergy's tariff for charging stations is about 20¢ per kilowatt-hour. "If they are going to charge for the power, then it has to be the same to all the different customers," he said, noting the city's ability to adjust or subsidize rates is limited when it does not own the equipment.
Staff shared usage data: 139 unique drivers used the station, with an average of 10 sessions per driver and about four charging sessions per day. The city paid $7,770 in energy costs for the chargers in 2025. Council members debated equity concerns between City Hall and the future community-center station (the community-center charger will be city-owned through a grant and must be free for an initial period). Several members favored a consistent policy across sites and asked staff to evaluate the cost and feasibility of acquiring the two existing City Hall chargers from Evergy so the city could set rates or subsidize a portion of charging costs.
Councilmember discussion coalesced around tabling immediate rate decisions for City Hall until the community-center charger is installed; staff was asked to return with a cost estimate for acquiring the existing chargers and a recommended citywide approach for free introductory periods and longer-term rates.
