The Naperville City Council has agreed unanimously to hold a series of workshops to delve into the complex intricacies involved in procuring a long-term energy supplier for the community beyond 2035.
The exact date has not been set in stone for the first of the multiple workshops, though it likely will be held in the fall in an effort to get us much feedback from the community as possible.
Discussions of Naperville’s long-term energy needs have bubbled to the surface at a rapid pace this year as current provider Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) has been asking for a contract extension beyond 2035.
‘Let’s do this the right way,’ councilman says as he makes motion
The decision to hold the series of council-led workshops was made during a lengthy discussion concerning the issue at a meeting Tuesday, June 3. Councilman Ian Holzhauer made the motion to hold the workshops, and outlined the parameters around his vision for the sessions.
“This is for the purpose of setting strategic objectives … to decide Naperville’s long-term energy future,” Holzhauer said. He later stated, “It’s the most important decision for the next decade. Let’s do this the right way.”
Holzhauer’s motion, which had the backing of all eight other council members, is “to schedule the first of a series of city council workshops on long-term energy options for the city with a focus on strategic objectives and excluding tactical decisions about any specific contract.”
The call for workshops this autumn means a decision on a contract extension with IMEA might not be made within the council this summer.
Several members weighed in on the IMEA timeline, alongside the broader look at energy options for the city.
“Where I’m at, big picture, just to be very transparent in a council setting, is we’ve been offered a one-way contract extension we didn’t ask for that doesn’t tell us how much it will cost, and it doesn’t tell us what the energy mix is going to be,” Councilman Patrick Kelly said.
Kelly added, “It really doesn’t tell us much of anything at all. I can say with total confidence that I am not ready to sign that extension.”
Mayor says decision facing the city is a balancing act
While there was broad consensus on the council to move forward on the workshops, officials did share a variety of different views, discussing concerns with short- and long-term cost implications alongside calls for clean energy.
“Our residents have to have a product that they can afford if they are going to be able to stay in their homes, just like our businesses have to have a competitive product if they are going to be competitive in the economic development space,” Mayor Scott Wehrli said.
Expanding on his point, Wehrli said he is concerned with comparisons in some of Naperville’s adjacent communities.
“We see our neighbors now facing some significant surprises from their own electric suppliers, from some of the larger utilities,” Wehrli said. “Whatever we do, I think there is a balance that can happen when you validate sustainability and economic goals.”
Councilman Josh McBroom said he has taken a deeper look into the IMEA in more recent months and understands why the contract extension is being requested at this time.
“If you gather all of this information, there are entirely rational, logical reasons as to why — there isn’t some evil empire out there,” McBroom said. “These are other communities, and the communities are asking us to sign a new contract.”
In terms of timing, McBroom added, “I would rather not address this right now. I would rather wait a couple more years, maybe wait until 2030, but when you really look at this, the planning does take decades. These other members do need to know who’s in.”
Residents urge council to hold workshops
During public comment on the agenda item at the council’s June 3 meeting, several residents went before the elected body and asked the officials to hold the workshops and dig deeper into the issue.
Joseph Hus, energy chair of the NEST organization, urged the council to consider all options, bringing to the table experts who can discuss clean, affordable energy options for the community in the decades ahead.
“Doing the right thing is rarely the easy thing,” Hus said.
Resident Marilyn Schweitzer implored the council to do its due diligence now and look at all of its options with careful, methodical planning in what she described as “a rigorous evaluation process.”
“I’m not thrilled with the concept of kicking the can down the road for another 10 years,” Schweitzer said. “That would be irresponsible to the community, staff, and successor council members as well.”
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