Bill is approved to purchase excess power

Wednesday, September 3, 2003

SIKESTON - Put up a windmill or install solar panels that gather enough power and the Board of Municipal Utilities might have to write you a check.

The Sikeston City Council approved a bill during their regular meeting Tuesday which to provide for the purchase of excess power generated by customers through renewable power sources.

During a Council briefing session Aug. 25, BMU General Manager Ed Throop said the Consumer Clean Energy Act and the Missouri Public Service Commission established requirements for the establishment of net metering services for eligible electrical utility customers that own and operate solar, wind or bio-mass generating facilities or a hydrogen fuel cell.

"We have to install what you call a 'two-way meter,'" Throop said.

Throop explained if the electricity generated by the customer-generator exceeds the electricity supplied to the customer by the utility, the customer-generator is to be credited for the net value of the electrical energy delivered to the utility at the utility's avoided cost. The credit is to appear on the customer-generator's bill no later than the following billing period.

The utility's avoided cost is the audited annual cost per kilowatt-hour generated by the city's power plant during the previous fiscal year.

Throop noted that in addition to renewable power sources being "very, very expensive," just by themselves, consumers must also purchase roughly $12,000 in equipment including a power converter to change the power from DC to AC.

In other business conducted during the regular Sikeston City Council meeting Tuesday:

* Council members approved another amendment to the city's animal control ordinance.

Tom Bridger, public works director, said the amended ordinance now permits some exotic animals, which were all banned under the former version of the ordinance. Dangerous and poisonous animals are still prohibited.

The ordinance now permits non-human primates with a limit of three, the same limit for dogs. Bridger said the ordinance includes requirements for outside confinement for the primates or requires the animal to be on a leash while outside. "So there's rules and regulations," he said.

Other changes are the addition of fines for dangerous dogs and defecation restrictions. "If you are walking a dog and it makes a mess, you are required to go clean that up," Bridger said.

Mayor Michael Marshall complimented the staff for their work on the ordinance.

* City Clerk Carroll Couch announced election schedule deadlines.

The first day to file to run for city office will be Oct. 21 and the last day to file is Nov. 18 with final certification on Nov. 25, Couch said.

Positions up for the next election are the Ward 1 seat currently occupied by Jerry Pullen; Michael Harris' Ward 4 seat; and the at-large seat presently held by Rogers.

* "Roundtable discussions" are scheduled by the city for 7 p.m. Sept. 15 and 7 p.m. Oct. 14 to gather citizen input and help the city set its priorities.

Council members are also asking newly-appointed city board and committee members to come to the Sept. 15 meeting to be sworn in.

* Councilman Phil Boyer asked about the construction on Wakefield, noting the contractor tore up the road and moved off to work in another area.

"Citizens are getting kind of upset," Boyer said, adding that elsewhere "they've done a real nice job on what they've done."

Bridger said the contractor moved to work on streets that have a nearer deadline for completion than Wakefield.

* Councilman Michael Harris reported the Back to Sunset event was a success and probably brought in additional revenue to the city. "All the hotels were booked up," he said.

SIKESTON - Appointments to city boards and commissions were approved by the Sikeston City Council during its regular meeting Tuesday.

* Ellen Brandom, currently an alternate member of the Board of Adjustments, was appointed to serve as a full member for a five-year term.

William Whitson was appointed to fill Brandom's unexpired term as an alternate member.

* Clare Eisenbach and Linda Glaus were reappointed to full three-year terms on the Library Board. Larry Bohannon was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board.

* George Swogger was voted in 4-3 to replace Steve Forbis on the Board of Municipal Utilities for a four-year term with council members Phil Boyer, Mike Marshall and David Teachout entering the dissenting votes.

Forbis was ineligible for another term.

* For the Planning and Zoning Commission, Matt Marshall was reappointed to a four-year term.

* There were no nominees for the BOCA Board of Appeals.

* Ned Matthews was reappointed to serve three more years on the Public Safety Advisory Board. Richard Adams was appointed to his first full term on the Public Safety Advisory Board after serving a partial term which expanded the board.

* Park Board members Charles Parks and Susanne Chitwood were each reappointed to three-year terms. John Harris was selected by six members of the council to fill the vacant seat on the board, with Sue Rogers voting against his appointment.

* Marie Marshall was put on the Housing Authority Board, fulfilling the requirement that the board include at least one resident member.

* Rental Ordinance Appeals Board member Chester Cardwell was reappointed and will serve another three years. New members appointed by the Council are David Ziegenhorn, Bonnie Dyer and Carl Hazel.

* For the Sikeston Area Higher Education Advisory Council, Steve Matthews and Margaret Dicus were appointed to second terms, Janice Barkett and Lori Fowler were appointed to their first terms, and Carl Addison was selected to fill a vacant seat on the council.

* Jim Bucher will serve another two years on the Sikeston-Miner Convention and Visitors Bureau Advisory Board and Mike Ziegenhorn was appointed to fill a vacancy as a new member.

* Reappointed to serve on the Traffic Committee for three more years were Ann Matthews and Jean Crowe. Alternate member Larry Tetley was appointed to serve as a full member and fill a vacancy. Greg Walker was picked to fill a vacant alternate position and Anna Warf will fill the alternate member seat to be vacated by Tetley.

* Jim Bucher and Scott Matthews were reappointed to serve another six years on the Industrial Development Authority.

* The Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority will have one new member, David Ziegenhorn. Brian Menz was reappointed and will serve a second four-year term.

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