Lincoln Electric System wants to suspend a program that provides a discount for certain businesses, which began as an economic development tool intended to encourage companies to come to Lincoln.
Begun in 2018, the economic development rider offered declining discounts — starting as high as 50% — over a five-year period for businesses that also qualified for the state’s ImagiNE Nebraska incentive program.
Emily Koenig, LES vice president and chief financial officer, said it was intended for customers who have a high load factor, or consistent and efficient users such as manufacturers.
Now LES wants to suspend the program because times have changed.
Five years ago, Koenig said, LES had excess capacity — access to more power than customers needed at the time.
Now, projected growth in Lincoln — including the possibility of Lincoln landing a large data center (and a big electricity user) — and higher costs of generating capacity means it no longer makes sense to offer the discount.
Agate LLC, which appears to be a subsidiary of Google, has proposed building a data center on about 600 acres it bought for $18.6 million on the northwest corner of the 56th Street interchange on Interstate 80.
Continuing to offer the discount could have a detrimental effect on existing customers, Koenig said, a situation other power companies have faced at various times.
“We don’t want to continue to offer something at a sale price that we may not have in the future,†Koenig said.
LES will honor agreements with companies already participating or those that sign up before Aug. 1, when the suspension will begin, assuming the City Council approves it at its July 10 meeting.
At the moment, that’s just one company, which offers cold storage. It’s in its third year of the program, Koenig said.
She declined to name the company, but said it’s a smaller company that will get about a $75,000 credit over the five years. Another manufacturing firm has signed an agreement and would still be able to participate, she said.
Another LES program started in 2018 that offers its largest users lower bills in exchange for them allowing LES to interrupt their service during peak load times is still operating.
A divide over parental leave
Two months after Lincoln became the first city in the state to offer paid parental leave, Lancaster County followed suit — by a very narrow margin.
The County Board on Tuesday voted 3-2 to institute a similar policy that allows six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or fostering of a child.
The City Council unanimously passed the ordinance adding parental leave — a policy change championed by Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird — but some County Board members weren’t convinced it was a good change.
Matt Schulte and Rick Vest both voted against the policy change, citing conversations with department heads concerned about scheduling and staffing issues it could cause.
Schulte said he was a “strong family guy†but worried about incorporating parental leave into various departments, especially the jail, youth services and engineering (because of the demands of snow removal).
“In our county, we have so many places where people work 24-7 or are on call 24-7, and I just think this creates lots of problems for departments,†he said.
Vest had similar concerns and wanted to hold off, or start with a provisional policy that would offer shorter leave.
“I don’t see the benefits outweigh the cost,†he said.
Sean Flowerday, Christa Yoakum and Roma Amundson all voted in favor, saying it was good for employees, an important recruiting tool and made them able to compete with Lincoln — the top job competitor for the county.
Flowerday acknowledged it could create staffing challenges, but he said recruiting for many of those same departments has also been a hurdle parental leave would help address.
Amundson said she supported the policy because it fell in line with the county’s recently adopted strategic plan that prioritizes workforce investment and implementing forward-thinking policies.
Yoakum, who has four children and worked in places staffed 24 hours for most of her career, said it’s important for families.
“This is an important step for the county to take.†she said.
Election commissioner salary bump
Lancaster County’s newest election commissioner just got a raise.
The County Board did a market review of election commissioners in six counties in Kansas and Southeast Nebraska, and concluded Lancaster County’s commissioner is underpaid.
The salaries in Douglas and Sarpy counties in Nebraska and Johnson, Sedgwick, Wyandotte and Shawnee counties in Kansas ranged from $72,571 in Wyandotte County to $152,662 in Johnson County.
Todd Wiltgen — who was appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen to replace longtime election commissioner Dave Shively — is paid $104,098. His new salary, beginning in September, will be $115,723
The chief deputy election commissioner’s salary will increase from $79,950 to $109,936.85, a larger jump because the new deputy chief works five days a week instead of four, as Shively’s deputy chief did.
Wiltgen’s deputy chief will get paid 95% of the commissioner’s salary, which is in line with other deputy chiefs in the county. Shively’s deputy chief was paid at 72% of the commissioner’s salary.