Published: January 12, 2009 08:28 pm      

Power costs going up in WO

Council passes ordinance for rate increase

Citizens can expect to see about a $5 increase in their electric bill per each kilowatt hour used.

During a meeting Monday evening, council members adopted an ordinance allowing the increase. Entergy was awarded the increase by the Public Utility Commission, but it was up to local cities to adopt the increase as well.

Entergy filed a request for a rate increase in Sept. 2007 with the city as required.

However, West Orange and cities intervened and joined together with a joint group of attorneys. A new settlement agreement was reached and it was then up to cities to pass the ordinance.

In other city business, Mayor Roy McDonald asked council members to consider passing an ordinance regulating the use of industrialized housing in the city since there is not one currently in place. Industrialized housing is a building for residential occupancy that is constructed off site. It may be in panels or modules but meets all current construction codes. It is then moved to a final location and assembled. However, manufactured housing is not the same as industrial housing.

“We need to regulate it as much as allowable,” McDonald said.

Some sections of the ordinance included regulations on the foundation. It reads, “All industrialized housing must be placed on a permanent foundation that is anchored into the ground and the structure is anchored to the foundation.” Other requirements include items such as the roof pitch which must be of a similar pitch and of similar materials to those within 500 feet of the location. They must also have an eave and fascia. In addition, no industrialized building can be converted to industrialized housing except by an industrialized housing manufacturer licensed by the state.

In the end, council members agreed and the motion passed.

Council members also voted to accept James Kendal Veitch’s application for membership to the West Volunteer Fire Department.