A few months ago, residents in Wrangell raised concerns about high electricity bills. Even though winter temperatures were a factor, the city said it would look into any explanation.
At this week’s borough assembly meeting, Wrangell City Manager Lisa Von Bargen announced that the electrical staff had checked out 60 meters in town, looking for any red flags.
“They’re re-read meters, they’re tested accuracy of meters, they have confirmed no power surges or odd things from coming from SEAPA,” Von bargen says. “They’ve run down any lead or anything they can think of.”
Von Bargen says the department, led by superintendent Rod Rhoades, can answer any questions and concerns.
At the meeting Assembly member Julie Decker recommended the city consider a plastic bag ban, as other cities have done so already in the state and elsewhere.
A fisheries advocate, she cited the impacts of plastics to ocean life. She says plastic bags used at grocery stores and other retailers are wasteful and can’t even be recycled.
“When you have a recycling plant they won’t take those, they never get recycled. They gum up the machines,” Decker says.
She recommended that discussions happen now in hopes of getting a propostion on the next city ballot this fall.
On other business, the city will provide comments to the federal government regarding rule-making on critical habitat status for certain humpback whales in nearby waters. The assembly opposes this measure, believing it could curtail commercial and sport fishing.
The assembly also passed a resolution to tackle issues regarding mental health, substance abuse, poverty and other forms of trauma in our community. A meeting could happen as soon as next week.
