Council proposes asking food bank, WIC and historical society to share utility costs

Utility costs at the community facility featured prominently in the workshop. The clerk estimated annual power costs around $36,000; councilors said multiple freezers and a cold storage room used by the local food bank run continuously and materially increase monthly bills. Members discussed a range of approaches to recover some utility costs: per‑room monthly rents, a usage‑based meter, or a flat monthly contribution for major users.

Participants agreed to contact the historical society, Council on Aging and the food bank to present the city's power figures and request input before finalizing any fees. One member urged outreach: “I think somebody should reach out to mister Chris” (identified in discussion as the food‑bank contact) and ask whether the organization can contribute toward the power bill. Council favored charging tenant groups more equitably while preserving essential services; staff were assigned to prepare numbers and letters to tenants.