Commission opposes rate increase

Washington County Commissioners showed their disapproval of a possible 30% natural gas distribution rate increase by Dominion Energy on Thursday.

During a commission meeting Thursday morning, all three commissioners -- James Booth, Charlie Schilling and Kevin Ritter -- approved a resolution opposing proposed Dominion Energy rate increases.

According to the resolution, Dominion Energy is requesting from the Public Utility Commision of Ohio (PUCO) a 30% natural gas distribution rate increase from $43.27 to $56.31 and an increase of other fixed monthly distribution charges to consumers by more than $8.78 per month starting in 2025 and by as much as $29.69 per month by 2032.

Booth read the resolution, saying the "large rate increase in natural gas distribution service may negatively impact the county's efforts to attract new businesses and jobs, depress the housing market and place an undue financial burden on residents."

Schilling said that there is a huge supply of natural gas and the proposal to increase the rates is "just nuts."

Ritter approved the resolution but said it would be easy to paint Dominion as the bad guy and blame the rate increase request on "corporate greed." He said there are many reasons that natural gas rates are increasing, including the left's push to get rid of fossil fuels and the natural gas used to make electricity that is used by large data mining centers,which use a high amount of electricity.

Booth said the resolution will be sent to the PUCO.

According to Booth, Washington County residents are in a natural gas aggregation agreement where the rate for natural gas distribution is $3.920 per metric cubic foot and the rate is locked in through December 2025, but the higher natural gas rates could affect the rates available once the aggregation agreement is done.

For more information about the rate increase visit the Ohio Consumers Counsel's website at https://www.occ.ohio.gov/dominion-rate-increase-2024. The OCC is an independent residential utility consumer advocacy group in Columbus.

People that would like to express their opinion about the proposed rate increase can submit a public comment with the PUCO at https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/PublicCommentEfiling.aspx?CaseNo=23-0894.

As of Thursday afternoon there were 192 public comment documents on the PUCO website.

In other business, the commission:

• Approved paying $660,457.878 in bills.

• Passes a resolution proclaiming May as Building Safety Month.

• Approved a resolution creating a new fund for the Cross Marietta Project. According to Booth, the fund will keep any funds for the project separate from the general funds and make it easy to track the money.

• Discussed how county residents can opt-out of the county's natural gas aggregation program with IGS Energy. Residents in the program will receive a letter with information about how to opt-out of the program or they can call IGS Energy at 1-877-3530162 to opt-out.

• Approved four Then and Now items, which are purchase orders more than $100.

• Approved additional appropriations of $20,200 for the CDBG grant fund for grant administration costs; $600 for grant management software for the county's grant department; $35,000 for the sewer department for operation and maintenance of State Route 339 and State Route 60, operating supplies and electric; and $24,000 for the Common Pleas Court for computer equipment.

• Approved a transfer of $8,7590 from the Clerk of Courts for discretionary merit pay to salaries.

• Approved sending a letter of support to the Appalachian Regional Commission for the City of Belpre's application of ARC area development funds to construct a new sewer plant for parts of State Route 7 and State Route 339.

• Approved publicly auctioning miscellaneous items that are stored as the WASCO building with a value of less than $2,500.

• Approved a concluding agreement with Align Elevator for $11,917 for its help with a project for a new elevator at the Washington County Division of Jobs and Family Services.

• Approved jail contracts with Morgan County, Muskingum County, the village of Beverly and Marietta College to house its prisoners at a cost of $100 per prisoner per day.

• Tabled a notice of a liquor permit for Staley Countryside Meat Company located at 39 Veto Rd, Little Hocking, to allow time for public comment.

• Approved a resolution allowing the county commission to prepare and submit an application for Ohio Public Works Commision funds to pay for 85% of the repair costs for landslips, also called landslides, at County Road 9, County Road 22, County Road 76 and County Road 102.

• Approved paying an invoice of $742,229.84 to RDR Utility Services Group for the Devola Sewer Project.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com