Joint Meeting with Gilbert Community School District
The Ames City Council begins at 7:00 PM April 14th. The agenda includes:
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Item 1 -- Joint Meeting with Gilbert Community School District.Over the years, the Ames City Council has met semi regularly with the Ames Community School District. As the Gilbert Community School District is a growing school district in the City, exploring opportunities for collaboration could yield benefits for constituents represented by both organizations.
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Item 4 -- Optional Time-of-Use Industrial Electric Rate Ordinance. The City of Ames owns its own electric utility, the Ames Municipal Electric System (AMES). This utility operates on the revenues of its customers. One of the greatest expenses to a utility, and consequently, to its customers, is constructing new capacity. As the community grows, it take more electricity to serve it. The amount of electricity needed in January is relatively small, however, relative to the amount of electricity needed in July and August. The AMES must be built for the maximum anticipated demand, also know as the "peak demand". In the City of Ames this peak occurs in the summer between the hours of 4 pm and 7 pm. This new ordinance allows the structuring of our electric rates such that a large industrial user may experience a large savings, if they were to move their use outside of the window of 8am to 8pm. This ordinance would not required but rather be an option a large user could exercise benefiting both the user and the utility.
As these peaks generally take place during very hot, sunny days, solar energy is another alternative that could help supply part of the needed capacity. In addition to helping our community meet its future energy needs, implementing sustainable energy infrastructure, protects our future. If we do not work hard and smart to leave a healthy planet for our great, great, grandchildren, history will not look upon us fondly.
Thanks for reading,
Matthew Goodman
City Council At-Large
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