Westminster’s utility committee goes to work

A volunteer committee of Westminster residents has begun to roll up its sleeves in its attempts to find out what can be done to lower some of the high electric power bills paid by city customers.  Power bills were on the minds of three of the speakers during the public comment period that preceded last night’s city council meeting.  And one of the speakers, the wife of a city councilman, delivered her proposal to create a fund from which the city could help some of its hard-pressed bill payers.  The discussion got started when Teresa Bryson, the appointed leader of the citizens’ committee, asked the mayor and council to share correspondence with the city’s wholesale supplier, the PMPA.  Bryson’s request was received without action.  Later Sandy Brockington, wife of Councilman Bill Brockington, proposed a fund to help homeowners lower their bills.  She recommended that Westminster raise the cost of water rates charged to out of town customers to create a pool of money which she estimates could amount to $250 thousand a year.  In exchange, for assistance in paying off high retail charges a city electric power customer would have to agree to allow a contracted professional to evaluate the causes of a customer’s excessive electric use.  The city would hire the inspector and the inspections would be done at no cost to the customer.  Mayor Brian Ramey said, “We will consider it.  I assure you.”