What: the future of the City's electric utility, including rates and equipment.
Where it stands: electric rates were a public-forum topic on 2026-09-01; the City Council awarded a power transformer bid 8-0 that night; an Electric Strategy Workshop (item 26-1147) was held 2026-09-28, where council chose a five-value vision statement by straw poll and showed hands to keep studying market participation (option three, eight hands; option two, five hands) and a joint action agency, while setting aside a utility sale.
Next: a rate study in 2027 to be presented with the remaining options; decision framework and mission statement to return to council.
Electric rates were raised in the public forum, and a speaker urged the Council to table the power transformer award (M1) pending an explanation of utility rate-setting; it passed 8-0.
Public forum speakers asked that grid and consultant studies be made public, noting a battery feasibility study that also asked about a natural gas plant. The city manager said natural gas was discussed only briefly, that staff will recommend taking it off the table, and that there were no discussions with IMEA about a gas peaker plant.
Workshop (item 26-1147): eight public speakers; straw poll chose the vision statement to secure an energy future prioritizing reliability, sustainability, affordability, flexibility and local control; show of hands kept options two (five hands) and three (eight hands) and none for a utility sale; staff will return with the decision framework and a 2027 rate study. IMEA contract expires September 30, 2035. No final action.
Public forum speakers debated the sustainability pillar and bidding versus an IMEA-only approach; a resident called the process behind schedule and understaffed. No action.
Capital plan review: electric just under $30 million in 2027, undergrounding cut to $1.3 million after a federal resiliency grant did not materialize, and about $10 million of new electric utility debt assumed. No battery storage funding is in the plan.
A public-forum speaker asked for an electric utility master plan and decision framework; the City Manager said the Council's utility vision statement will bring findings and recommendations in summer 2027 with the utility rate study. No action.