There are city departments that are already getting greener. The street department already takes cardboard from area businesses to sell and the stormwater department is holding a recycling challenge with area schools. Sam Quast of stormwater said the city’s recycling trailer will be brought to schools for two days and the school with the highest weight of recyclable goods per child will win a movie day, with concessions, at their school.

Every Monday, children at Head Start bring their family’s recyclable goods to the city trailer. Also, the Washington High School student council is looking for ways to make their school green.

Even with the rise in rates, Rao said their rates on electricity were still lower than what other customers like those of Duke and Vectren are paying.

“Compared to our competitors, our rates are significantly low,” Rao said. “But that’s not a justification, when you are paying more money, it’s going to cost you more.”

He also asked city officials to help them lobby state and federal government to help ease federal regulations on expensive equipment like scrubbers that clean coal exhaust of greenhouse gases. Although Rao believed in helping the environment, he said there has to be a balance to help industry thrive.

“We need to balance between the environment and expenses,” Rao said. “The electricity costs are too high will affect manufacturing and jobs but at the same time, if the air is polluted, it is not good either.”

Although there has been a rate study commissioned by the city, the results of the H.J. Umbaugh study were not released Monday. Since the council voted out of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission almost two years ago, the council could raise rates with a simple vote and not have to go through the state.

In other business

POLICE PURCHASES

The council voted 6-0 to transfer $60,000 in the Police Department budget to purchase new equipment. The money, Chief Steve Riney said, came from unpaid wages of two officers who are serving with the National Guard in Iraq.

Among the items that will be purchased are new police radios, video equipment repair in the squad cars and recorders for the dispatchers.

Not related to the transfer, the council and the Board of Public Works and Safety opened bids for six new squad cars. Four bids, from Washington Chrysler, Bill Dobson Ford, Bloomington Ford and Ruxer Ford were opened with the lowest from Ruxer for six 2009 Ford Crown Victoria cruisers for $110,110.

The board tabled the bids so Riney can review the specifications of each of the bids and will make a formal recommendation to the board at the council’s Nov. 24 meeting.

HANDICAPPED SIGNS

The board unanimously approved the creation of two handicapped spots on Main Street in front of both the American Legion post and the Eagles lodge. A recommendation came from both Riney and Street Department Commissioner Ernie Evans for the spaces.