Voters in most unincorporated areas of Williams County will vote in March on whether they want to allow electric aggregation to be available.

Voters in most unincorporated areas of Williams County will vote in March on whether they want to allow electric aggregation to be available. The issue will not appear on the ballots for voters in Center and Springfield townships, however, as those areas have previously voted to allow electric aggregation. According to the resolution passed by the commissioners to move forward with placing the issue on the March 19 general election, “governmental aggregation provides an opportunity for residential and small business consumers to participate collectively in the potential benefits of electricity deregulation. Even if voters approve county-wide electric aggregation for unincorporated areas, individual consumers would retain the ability to opt out of the program if they so choose. The Williams County commissioners signed a new two-year energy contract in September with rates at 6.7 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to 11 cents per kilowatt hour charged by private electric companies at the time. That new two-year deal impacts Center and Springfield townships, as well as Edon, Stryker and West Unity who also previously agreed to take part in the aggregation program.