6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 3, Community Health Professionals

By Paula Pyzik Scott

The Village of Ada has put the option to create electricity and natural gas aggregation programs for local residents and businesses on the November 5 ballot. An October 3 forum will give individuals the opportunity to learn more about aggregation and to ask questions.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Health Professionals Building, 1200 S. Main St., Ada, OH.  Aspen Energy will be present to answer any questions.

Ohio law allows a community to form a buying group to purchase electricity and/or natural gas on behalf of its citizens. 

In resolutions that put the issues on the ballot,  Village of Ada council stated that “governmental aggregation provides an opportunity for residential and small business customers collectively to participate in the potential benefits of electricity deregulation through lower electric rates which they would not otherwise be able to have individually.”

With local government aggregation, customers may opt-in or opt-out of the program.

In order to create these aggregation programs, a majority of electors voting at the election must approve two ballot questions. The ballot language for electric aggregation is shown here:

Shall Village of Ada have the authority to aggregate the retail electric loads located in the Village, and for that purpose, enter into service agreements to facilitate for those loads the sale and purchase of electricity, such aggregation to occur automatically except where any person elects to opt out?

 ____ FOR THE ELECTRIC AGGREGATION PROPOSAL

 ____ AGAINST THE ELECTRIC AGGREGATION PROPOSAL

The resolutions also provide that should Ada voters approve the ballot issues, the Village of Ada will hold at least two public hearings on the plan.

Notice of the hearings will be published for two consecutive weeks, summarizing the plan and stating the date, time and location of the hearings.

The resolutions provide that persons enrolled in aggregation may have the opportunity every three years to opt out of the program without paying a fee.