From Bob Schwartz, City Manager
→ MEAG Mayor’s Summit – Mayor Roseberry and I attended the annual MEAG Mayor’s Summit last
-
weekend. It’s a time for the MEAG staff and several expert speakers to bring the cities up
to date on the electric industry. Here’s some of what we learned:
• Bob Johnston – president of MEAG, reminded us of the increased regulatory
pressure on coal fired power plants. There likely be new regulations for
the containment of ash (brought about by that enormous spill in Tennessee
several years ago), and there may be new CO2 rules for existing coal plants.
Natural gas is becoming more popular as a fuel to generate electricity, largely
because gas prices are very low. 20% of the MEAG capacity is in natural gas
(none of Oxford’s portfolio is natural gas). The total MEAG energy usage is
20% less than originally planned. This has been caused by the recession and
results in a higher per unit cost that originally planned.
• Chuck Eaton - just reelected PSC commissioner, reminded us that, as utility
providers: “Our job is to be taken for granted.” 50% of the last Georgia Power
rate increase was related to environmental costs. His goal for electric
generation is to have a diversified fleet of power plants – coal, hydro,
natural gas, nuclear, renewable (wind, solar).
• Pete Glaser – a partner with a law firm in Washington, DC, said that even
while EPA is likely to be getting ready to put new regulations on coal plants,
we need to note that overall emissions have decreased 60% since 1970 while total
production has gone up.
→ Airport Road water extension – Work is well underway and it should be finished next week.
-
Here are a couple of pictures – one of the boring under the road and the other of the water
line being installed.
→ Utility and Maintenance Department – Jody reports that they: replaced stolen stop sign
-
at the intersection of Haygood and Moore St.; repaired seven sewer cleanouts that were
broken or missing in Victoria Station Subdivision; and measured and painted a number of
areas around the city to be patched by LMIG funding.
→ Whatcoat Street – I met with a second landscape architect on Thursday. We will get his
-
proposal and compare it to the one we received last week. We will put together a
recommendation for council to review after looking at both proposals.
→ Electric Rates – Terry Smith, Lauran, and I met with the electric rate expert from the
-
Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG)on Wednesday. ECG is going to review our current rates
and make a recommendation.
→ Clerk’s Office - Dawn and Amanda both attended the State Mandated Court Clerk Certification
-
class on Friday November 9, 2012. This is an annual eight hour class required by the State
of Georgia of all Court Clerks as well as anyone who handles or has access to court documents
which includes collecting fine payments or accessing the Courtware system to view a citation.
→ The Movies are coming – Remember we will have a film crew setting up in the vacant lot next
-
to city hall in preparation for their two filming nights across the street the week after Thanksgiving.
→ Thanksgiving – City Hall will be closed Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23
