Bellville council ponders gas prices, improvements at Palm Park

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BELLVILLE — The consultant working with the village on utility rates told council members last week it is possible natural gas rates will decrease further, and he could lock in lower rates if those prices hold

Scott Belcastro, of Trebelllc, said his firm believes anything under a $2.50 rate would be good and recommended to council that he be allowed to lock in that rate.

The gas price on the day he spoke (last Tuesday) was under $.40 ccf, he said, and that is why attention needs to be paid to pricing, he said.

Weirich told council village workers had started on hydrant flushing, and that is had gone “so far pretty good.”

People don’t know there are 124 hydrants, and that each one must be turned 30 to 40 times to be opened, and a like number, to be closed. Leaks can occur during that process, he said.

That parks committee of council is waiting for a response from the Richland Foundation for its plan to put in new playground equipment in Palm Park, said council member Vic Swisher.

The foundation will have a meeting June 10, and word may come back from that group after that date.

The foundation would buy the playground equipment for the village, but staff would have to install it, said Swisher.

Weirich told council that an Eagle Scout is interested in building a handicapped platform on the pond in Palm Park, so that veterans in wheelchairs can fish there.

Trebelllc works on aggregation processes with fuel prices. Belcastro said weather patterns over the winter were “super volatile,” which means prices skyrocketed.

He said his agreement with the village means he can lock that lower rate at any time. Village administrator Larry Weirich has the authority to give Belcastro permission to move to a different rate.

Belcastro said his firm has added 26 new communities as customers. He said competitors have not done that well, saying they may have “three tops” customers.

By Louise Swartzwalder

Galion Inquirer

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