Vote deferred on lowering power bill

At a meeting Tuesday, Westminster Councilwoman Susan Ramey introduced the idea of cutting the cost of electric power service for an elderly segment of the city’s retail power base.  Ramey proposed a 10% a month cut for those customers 80 years and older.  But her colleagues are reluctant to take such a step until they know whether slicing power bills for one segment of electric power customers and not another may risk the city running afoul of bonds and convenants and cause difficulty with the federal government.  Chris Carter, city administrator, is being requested to determine whether bonds and covenants require the city to stick to uniform power rates.  Carter also is concerned that separate rates could jeopardize the chances for the city to receive grants thru the federal government.