City looks at 6% rate increase for electricity use

Electric utility customers in the city of Medford could end up paying slightly more in their electric bills starting in January.

At Monday’s city council committee of the whole meeting, members recommended moving ahead with a proposal to ask the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) for an increase in the base electric rates.

According to manager Spenser Titera, the city’s base rate has not changed in about 25 years and based on the current rates, the utility has about a $400,000 deficit in its operating budget, when depreciation is factored in.

According to city coordinator Joe Harris, under the proposed rate increase, the average residential customer will go from paying $50.88 per month to $53.88 per month. Over the course of the year, Harris estimated the additional cost to residents of between $36 and $40 depending on the billing cycle.

Even with the increase, Harris said the city would be still in the bottom five of utilities for the electric rates.

As a regulated utility, the city electric rates are reviewed and ultimately set by the PSC which goes off a formula for set rate of return. The request goes to next week’s regular council meeting where it is expected to be approved.

Assistance program

City of Medford employees may soon have access to additional help in dealing with trauma and other mental health issues.

Members of the committee of the whole unanimously recommended contracting with REALiving at a cost of $5,205 per year to provide counseling, coaching, crisis response, conflict mediation and other mental health services to city employees and their families on an as needed basis.

With a growing focus on ensuring mental health needs are being met and services are being provided to employees, the City has looked into a couple of programs that would allow services from not only employees but their families to have access to should some additional help be needed,” stated city clerk Ashley Lemke.

She said a staff committee reviewed options from Aspirus Health and Anthem but selected REALiving because of the focus on and experience the company has in working with first responders, such as police and fire departments, who often have to deal with high stress or traumatic situations.

Harris noted that while the company will come onsite to do crisis response sessions, one of the advantages of this program is the ability of staff members to call from home where they have additional privacy.

Police chief Chad Liske, said he favored the company because it was started as a way to help responders and has focus on that area. He noted that a firefighter or police officer may see things in their jobs that other jobs such as a banker might not see and that it helps to have someone to talk with who has that kind of experience.

Liske noted that with two-thirds of the city employees being police or firefighting personnel, it made sense to focus on addressing those unique needs. He said the county had worked with REALiving for about a year.

As with all of these programs, the number of consultations and visits per event is limited with those requiring additional counseling being referred to other providers and going through the city’s health insurance.

The annual fee of $5,204 will be split between the Medford Area Fire Department budget at the city budget pending approval by the Medford Area Fire Commission later this month. Mayor Mike Wellner noted they have already spoken with the chair of the fire commission as well as the fire chief who are in favor of offering this service.

“I think this is a great investment,” said alderman Mike Bub, praising their efforts to look out for city employees facing trauma and stress.

In other business, aldermen:

_ Recommended submitting the annual grant application for the shared ride taxi program. The program subsidizes the taxi program to provide rides primarily for the elderly and handicapped under the program, although any person may use the taxi service for a fee.

_ Recommended accepting a bid from American Asphalt for the an amount not-to-exceed $46,912.70 to resurface South Whelen Avenue with funds for this project allocated from the ARPA fund account. The project came in below the project estimate of $55,000 that was approved at the July 5 council meeting.

_ Received word that the first layer of blacktop is expected to be installed on the Perkins St. project. The project extended from Fourth Street to the Black River and included reconstruction of utilities, road surface, sidewalk and curb and gutter.

A summer-long road reconstruction project, the end is in sight for the Perkins Street project. According to city coordinator Joe Harris, crews are expected to get the first layer of black top on the road before the end of the week. As with other street projects, the city will allow the road to go through a freeze-thaw cycle before having the second layer placed next summer.EMILY GOJMERAC/THE STAR NEWS