Slater City Council fields electricity bill complaints, approves bids for 2 projects

It may seem like a good comparison to make, but Slater officials said Tuesday night, Aug. 7, that comparing this month's electricity bill with last month's bill is like comparing apples and oranges.

Some electricity customers have called city officials to complain their bills are too high, but Assistant City Administrator Gene Griffith said the increase in energy costs are right in line with what officials predicted.

"We're right where we were telling people we would be," Griffith said, noting that officials had predicted a $30 to $40 hike for each 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity used.

He and Mayor Stephen Allegri explained that to get a truer comparison, customers should compare their bill this month with the same period for last year, prior to the rate increase that recently went into effect.

Griffith noted that the billing period is from the 15th of one month to the 15th of the next month, meaning the current bill covers the period from June 15 to July 15, which included more warm weather -- and therefore more air conditioner use -- than the May 15 to June 15 period.

And he cautioned customers to keep in mind that their next bill, which will be issued Sept. 1, will include the current severe hot spell.

In other business, the council approved a bid of $40,000 for renovation work on the restroom at the kiddie park.

Marshall contractor Jeff Nebergall submitted the only bid considered. In an earlier bidding period all the bids received were double and even triple the expected cost of the project, according to Allegri.

Nebergall's bid was consistent with expected costs, Griffith said.

The restroom will be completely remodeled, receiving a new pitched roof, a roof extension, stainless steel facilities, a new floor and new utility services.

The council also approved a bid of about $59,000 for resurfacing and repair preparation work on 21 blocks of city streets.

The Kansas City firm of Musselman and Hall will apply a slurry coating to the streets and will prepare for maintenance work to be done in 2008.

Contact Eric Crump at

marshalleditor@socket.net