With all eight precincts reporting, River Forest residents approved a referendum last week asking the village to arrange for aggregated energy.
Some 1,202 residents, or 61.7 percent of voters, said “yes” on a referendum asking if the village should arrange for aggregation. The other 38.3 percent, 747 people, voted “no,” according to the Cook County Clerk’s website.
Aggregation allows the village to buy blocks of energy from other sources at lower prices that were previously only available to large corporate consumers.
Village Administrator Eric Palm said he was pleased with the results since officials started doing the legwork in anticipation of the referendum’s passage. Earlier this month, the village board approved a contract with the Illinois Community Choice Aggregation Network, which will assist staff as they implement aggregation. They’ve also held two public hearings regarding a draft of the management plan for the program.
“It gives everyone an option,” Palm said, adding that residents who want to stay with ComEd can opt out.
The village board approved putting the referendum on the ballot in November and was one of 66 communities that asked the question, according to the Clerk’s website. Oak Park voters approved a similar referendum back in April 2011.
Palm said requests for proposals from suppliers will be due sometime next month. A price for the service will be determined in May or June and it will tentatively start in July or August.