LaGrange DailylagNrangeenewws.cosm INSIDE TOMORROW’S SPORTS Israel president WEATHER Covington and warns of new Miller are the Pan- Today’s artist: Andre Palestinian up- Hidalgo, third grade, thers’ dynamic rising ...... 8A Unity Elementary duo ...... 1B School. High: 68. Low: 57.... 2A Vol. 170 • No. 9 •2 sections, 12 pages Thursday, January 10, 2013 50 cents daily | $1.50 Weekend LaGrange looks to increase electric rates Jennifer Shrader customers. Council earlier this week that the per- dents will rise from $108.47 to $111.88, Staff writer “It’s a lot easier to do the increases kilowatt increase in utility rates should according to figures provided by the incrementally rather than wait and do be offset somewhat by a decreased city. Diverse Power customers pay an LaGrange City Council will vote Jan. a big increase every five years,” Bowie charge for natural gas, which is included average of $129.87 and Georgia Power 22 on a proposed electric rate increase said. “It’s a lot more palatable to the in a separate kilowatt hour charge. The customers pay $121.68. that will be the third for residential and customer.” charge for natural gas is dropping from The numbers LaGrange uses to com- commercial customers in three years. The reason for the proposed increase 2.4 to 2.3 cents per kilowatt hour and pare itself to other utilities come from “Every year, we get our budget from is the same reason it has been the last could drop as low as 2.1 cents, he said. reports to the Georgia Public Service MEAG and we have to adjust our two years: increased costs in what the “That could eventually wipe out the Commission. rates accordingly,” said Patrick Bowie, city pays to provide power. The city also entire (proposed) increase,” Bowie said. General service customers will see LaGrange’s utilities director. has seen less use of power because of With the increase, the average resi- an increase to $151.87 from $149.82 MEAG stands for Municipal Electric more moderate temperatures. dential customer would pay about $3.41 a month with the proposed increase. Authority Georgia, where LaGrange “It’s like a cab driver,” Bowie said. “If per month more for electric, but that Diverse general service customers pay $158.36 and $188.05 for service from buys its power. a cab driver only has two routes, he’s drops to just $2.50 a month because of Diverse and Georgia Power, respec- The per kilowatt hour cost of elec- got to charge a lot more than if he had lower fuel charges. tively. tricity will go up from 10.6 cents to 11 100.” To help offset the electric rate increase If approved, the new rates should take cents for residential customers, 13 to The increase won’t mean more income council passed last year, it lowered effect Feb. 1. 14 cents for general service customers for the city. water rates later in the year. Jennifer Shrader may be reached at jshrader@lagrangenews. and 8.4 to 8.5 cents for commercial Bowie told members of LaGrange City The average monthly bill for resi- com or at 706-884-7311, Ext. 236. Development Authority pledges $36k to start career academy study

Matthew Strother made up of 12 county News editor leaders representing the governments of Troup The Troup County County, LaGrange, West Development Authority Point, Hogansville and Wednesday agreed to the school system, along grant money to kick-start with local businesses. planning for a career The group is tasked with academy. helping local economic The authority approved development. $36,000 to the Center for The academy will likely Strategic Planning, ear- be placed into an existing marked for an 18-month building, but will need to contract the center plans be renovated. The acad- to initiate with Russ emy also will need equip- Moore for planning for ment, staff, transporta- the academy. Moore, who tion and lunch service, ran a career academy in which will mean a con- Coweta County and has tinuous operating budget Photos by Asia Ashley | Daily News since worked as a consul- that will have to be main- Two of Kayli Greene’s Corps