Several Williams County officials traveled to the nation's capital recently to express concerns with federal lawmakers and share solutions with others from similar communities.
The local contingent from Bryan, Edgerton and Montpelier was part of representatives from 27 American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) and Ohio Municipal Electric Association (OMEA) member communities as part of the American Public Power Association Legislative Rally.
"The rally is always a successful event," said Bryan Mayor Carrie Schlade. "We get with representatives from other communities and collaborate and talk about similar issues we're seeing."
In addition, the group gets to meet with members of Congress or their staffs to discuss issues concerning their communities.
"We talked about the Build America Bonds that are in Congressional sequestration and so we have not been getting the discount we were promised," Schlade said.
She added AMP used the bonds to help fund a hydroelectric plant which provides a portion of power to Bryan. Due to a federal budget fight in 2013, sequestration, or automatic budget cuts, were enacted, effecting the Build America Bonds program.
The sequestration is set to extend through 2023 currently.
"That's a cost, or loss of savings, to the City of Bryan of nearly $1million if it's extended through 2023," Schlade said.
She added that savings, if realized, could be put toward other projects to improve the city.
Schlade said she also talked to Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, whose district now includes Williams County. She said they discussed the growth of solar fields in rural areas.
"The meeting was very pleasant," Schlade said.
She said the group also met with staff members of Ohio's senators, Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and J.D. Vance, a Republican.
Dawn Fitzcharles, village administrator for Edgerton, said the group also stressed the need for electric transmission project oversight.
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