Plan to Lower Electric Bills Could Go to the Voters

On Wednesday, the village could move one step closer to ousting Commonwealth Edison as the major supplier for residential and small business clients in Romeoville.

Trustees will vote on whether to ask voters to give the village the authority to join with other Will County municipalities to work to lower electric bills for residents.

If voters were to give the OK on the March primary ballot, Romeoville, along with other members of the Will County Governmental League, would pursue , working to broker a deal with an outside bidder for cheaper rates.

Under an aggregation plan, ComEd would continue to deliver the power to customers, but another company would provide the actual wattage.

Romeoville and its fellow intergovernmental league members won’t be the first Will County communities to seek cheaper power sources.

Crest Hill and New Lenox have partnered on a contract with Direct Energy that is poised to save residents 25 percent per year on their electric bills.

According to Mayor John Noak, if voters were to sign off on the March ballot question, Will County Governmental League communities would begin seeking bids next summer, after ComEd’s rates are set.

“We would wait to go into the bidding process until that rate is set,” he told Patch last month.

Even if the village were to ink a contract with a new electricity provider, residents would still be able to opt out and stick with ComEd if that’s their preference.

Also on the agenda

Trustees are also scheduled to vote on the following measures:

• A resolution to join other communities located along Route 66 in supporting a hiking/biking trail from Chicago to Granite City, Illinois, on the historic “mother road.”
• A deal to install a 6-foot-tall vinyl fence along the property line between Diocese of Joliet property and the village’s Veterans Memorial on Montrose Drive, to the tune of $25,000. The diocese would be responsible for reimbursing the village for that amount.
• A contract with a company that would be tasked with inspecting the village’s telecommunication bills and recovering “improperly charged” rates, taxes and fees in an effort to cut costs. According to village documents, Spyglass Group Inc. has uncovered unused lines and data circuits that could save the village $70,000 per year. Under the agreement, Spyglass would receive 50 percent of any funds it recovers.