The Washington City council as agreed to extending the City’s contract with the Indiana Municipal Power Association for an additional eight years. The ordinance had been tabled since the March 9th Council meeting because of the COVID pandemic and to allow a representative from IMPA to attend. IMPA’s Brian Brackmeier explains that the City’s current contract with IMPA runs through 2042, but that the Municipal Power Association’s power generation profile was changing and to plan new generation projects effectively IMPA was requesting an eight year contract extension to 2050. Mayor David Rhoads noted that IMPA had one of the lowest power wholesale rates in Indiana.
The Council also approved an ordinance to set up a special fund to hold the money for the Wastewater Treatment Plant’s improvements and Phosphorus Removal Facility. Clerk-Treasurer Beth McGookey said that having a dedicated fund for the project would provide greater transparency for the project.
On another note; Councilman Darin Lunsford asked why the City ordinance allows golf carts to use city streets but not all-terrain vehicles. Chief of Police Todd Church said that State law only allows cities to permit the use of golf carts. State law prohibits the use of personal all-terrain vehicles and other personal off-road vehicles on public roads and streets.
