By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – The city of Bloomington is shifting to all renewable energy through its aggregation agreement.

The city is altering its three-year deal with Homefield Energy that it signed in March to go from 10 percent renewable to 100 percent, which comes at a $100-thousand dollar cost.

City manager David Hales told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin that will be absorbed in what Homefield pays to the city each year.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Hales on WJBC.

“We will take this increase out of our so-called civic contribution which comes to the city and we will use that to pay for that particular expense this year,” Hales said.

Homefield has paid the city $140,000 per year in the past. That will be trimmed to $40,000 this year.

Hales said consumers won’t have to pay for the additional cost. Customers can also opt out at any time.

The city council approved the deal in a 7-1 vote on Monday.

“It is a way to help provide some financial incentives to those companies who are trying to develop wind, solar and other renewable energy,” Hales said.

Task force

The task force that’s looking for ways to plug a budget deficit in Bloomington is looking at five ways and none of them involve a tax increase.

Hales said the panel is looking at program and service reductions, shared services possibly with Normal or McLean County, alternate delivery of services and operational efficiencies. Hales said that’s one avenue city staff is already exploring.

“Maybe it’s time to look at can we get a lower cost for moving,” Hales said. “Operational efficiencies and service delivery is one thing we are working on now with solid waste.”

Normal’s town council raised the idea last week of a one-percent sales tax increase. Bloomington and Normal typically kept their tax rates the same to keep the playing field level.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].