MOUNT GILEAD — Village Council Monday night heard a second proposal for electric aggregation.
Scott Belcastro, principal of Trebel LLC, said his firm is capable of helping the village’s commercial and residential customers.
“We specialize in government aggregation. We have more than 110 combined electric and natural gas programs,” he said. “We are one of the largest players in Ohio.”
Several weeks ago a representative from Aspen Energy made a proposal.
The village’s contract with FirstEnergy Solutions extends until July 2019, and that company is facing bankruptcy.
Belcastro said the village should look at energy efficiency, not just rates, when selecting a successor to FirstEnergy Solutions.
“We would have six or seven or eight suppliers bidding on power for your group,” he said.
Council members and Mayor Mike Porter asked Belcastro about what separates his company from others.
“We negotiate every single contract. We also have the best energy attorney in Ohio working for us. We’re in 76 communities and we’re growing,” he said.
Belcastro said he is moving his office to Mansfield.
“We have in-house customer service and we operate with integrity. We have eight different suppliers. We don’t play favorites.”
Council will consider the proposals through its utilities committee.
In other business:
• Police Chief Brian Zerman said a new cruiser should arrive this week.
• The department is working to create a presence in the Mount Gilead School District with an officer making visits when his schedule allows.
• The North Water Tower soon will be painted. Prep work has been complete, Village Administrator Dan Rogers said.
