Archive for category: General Information

Over the past few years, the city, working with the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency,
has secured lower energy costs through new power supply contracts and taking
advantage of the integrated power market.
Each month the historical and current operating expenses, plus revenue and expense
projections, are reviewed to forecast required energy rates accurately. In October 2019,
this monthly review indicated the base energy rate could be lowered. To confirm this
indication, a $0.01 energy cost adjustment (ECA) credit began to be applied to
customer’s bills, effectively reducing their energy rate and cost. Customers would see
the credit on their monthly bill listed as “ECA Credit.”
Following six months of the ECA credit applied to customer’s bills, forecasts indicated a
$0.0125 per kWh decrease is sustainable. At their April 7, 2020 meeting, the City
Council adopted an ordinance lowering the base energy charge to all customer classes
by $0.0125 per kWh. This base rate decrease will provide even lower energy costs to
our customers. Beginning with the April 30, 2020 billing, the $0.01 ECA credit
customers saw on their bills between October and March, will be replaced with a
$0.0125 per kWh reduction in the base energy charge.
In these uncertain times, this action should provide a level of certainty to our customers
that their energy rates will remain at the reduced level they’ve seen the past six months,
plus an additional quarter-cent reduction.

Energy Rate Decrease Press Release

We Are #CommunityPowered

During Tuesday’s City Commission Meeting, the Commission approved to apply a credit to electric accounts with the City of Garden City.

This would not be possible if Garden City was not  #CommunityPowered !!

(Taken from the City of Kiowa Social Media Post from April 2nd)

In an effort to help our local businesses mitigate economic effects of COVID-19, every residential utility customer is receiving $15 in Kiowa Bucks, by mail, to use at our local establishments. Each customer will receive three $5 cards that can be used at any business permanently LOCATED in Kiowa that will accept them. Transient vendors do not apply. There are a few important notes about these cards. Vendors WILL NOT make change. If you pay for your $2 item with a $5 card you WILL NOT get $3 in return nor will you get the card back. These ARE NOT gift certificates. Secondly, these cannot be used to pay for any City services (utilities, permits, fines, etc.), and the cards must be used by Mother’s Day, May 10, 2020. Please drop by the local shops, grocery store, restaurants, gas stations, hardware, automotive stores/shops and help our small businesses out during these unprecedented times.

Yet another example of how we are #CommunityPowered    

(Taken from March 26th City of Jetmore Social Media Post)

City of Jetmore Implements Local Economic Shot in the Arm:

In light of the current Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic difficulties many are experiencing, the City of Jetmore is mailing out today to all utility customers, coupons for purchase of goods and services from businesses within the city limits of Jetmore. Each utility customer will receive 2-$10 coupons. Though they are valid for use at any Jetmore business, it is our hope that they will be used in particular at those businesses most affected by the social distancing recommendation and state mandated group size limitations. Coupons not valid for payment of city utility bills nor tax bills with the county. Minimum purchase is for the face value of the coupon—no change is to be given by businesses to coupon users.

The City of Garden City Electrical Department has earned a Reliable Public Power Provider (RP₃)^®  Platinum designation from the American Public Power Association for providing reliable and safe electric service. Three years ago Garden City was recognized with a gold designation, and now has moved into a higher level of recognition.

The RP₃ designation, which lasts for three years, recognizes public power utilities that demonstrate proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvement. Criteria include sound business practices and a utility-wide commitment to safe and reliable delivery of electricity. Garden City joins more than 275 public power utilities nationwide that hold the RP₃ designation.

“Receiving an RP₃ designation is a great honor and demonstrates a utility’s commitment to implementing industry best practices in utility operations,” says Aaron Haderle, Chair of the Association’s RP₃ Review Panel and Manager of Transmission and Distribution Operations at ‎Kissimmee Utility Authority, Florida. “RP₃ utilities are consistently looking to improve their workforce, system reliability, and safety to serve their communities better.”

“This is a great honor,” said Mike Muirhead, Public Utilities Director for the City of Garden City “We take a lot of pride in the work we do to power our community. It’s nice to be recognized as among the ‘best of the best’ on a national level.”