CANFIELD — City council at Wednesday’s meeting approved an electric aggregation program to run from this May through May 2026.

However, the one-year rate lock will be almost double on the supply side of residents’ electric bills.

Canfield’s electric aggregation program expires in May and council decided to proceed with a one-year contract with Dynegy Energy Services LLC. The agreement would lock in the price for electric generation at $.0866/kWh. The present rate Canfield customers are paying is $.0497/kWh.

“The current price is up in May,” said Tom Bellish from Buckeye Energy Brokers Inc. “The current price as of today is $.0866/kWh.”

He said the cost of electricity is expected to rise steeply by summer. By locking in the rate now, the city may head off even steeper rates.

For those who want to stay in the city’s aggregation program, they need do nothing, according to Bellish. They also can choose to opt out at which time they will revert back to Ohio Edison.

“Right now, Ohio Edison is at $.082/kWh, but is expected to go to $.10/kWh,” he said.

Current customers will receive a letter on how to opt out.

Councilman Bruce Neff asked Bellish how the rates are for other areas of Ohio. Bellish said all suppliers are seeing the increase and are close in their rates. Bellish did say the summer months typically see a rise in electric usage (mostly because of air conditioner use), which is why the rates increase around that time.

Bellish said the city’s present contract is with Energy Harbor. That company has merged with Vista Corp. to form Dynegy, which Bellish said is expected to have the best rates.

TOWN HALL DISCUSSION

In other business, Council President Christine Oliver commented on the Monday town hall meeting the city hosted regarding the July 11 chemical spill. She said some who attended have complained about the set up.

“Everyone really had an open mic in the cafeteria,” she said. “If the questions were held in the auditorium, it would have been one at a time and a lot would have gone unanswered.”

She said those who attended received all the information the city has at this time.

Mayor Don Dragish said he was pleased with the turnout for the event.

City Manager David D’Apolito said the town hall was not able to be streamed live, but the auditorium segment was recorded. He said the plan is to get it on the city’s website in the near future for those who were unable to attend.

In other business, council:

• Adopted an Internet Auction Policy for 2025 that will allow for the use of internet auctions to dispose of unneeded, obsolete or unfit property.

• Heard from Finance Director Christine Clayton, who said the city’s link for e-filing city income tax has been activated. She said it includes the ability to make a payment, but noted there is a fee to do it.

• Approved the disposal of the 2008 Ford Focus used by the city’s meter reader.

• Passed a resolution to request advances on the collection of real estate taxes.