(Everly)– Voters in Everly have overwhelmingly approved a proposal for the city to establish its own electric utility. 107 people voted in favor of the measure in a special election Tuesday, while only 13 were opposed. Another item on the ballot that would result in the city’s Natural Gas Utility Board overseeing the electric utility with its name being changed to the Everly Utility Board was also approved overwhelmingly–99 yes, 19 no.
The approval means a seven-member task force that’s been looking into the possibility of establishing a municipal electric utility can move to the second phase of a feasibility study. City officials say it would consist of finding a source of wholesale power and finding out what their rates to the city would be. They’ll also visit with Alliant Energy, who’s franchise with the city expires this year, to see how much it will cost to purchase the existing distribution system in the city.
Any formal plan would have to be presented to the Iowa Utilities Board for approval.
