Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 1, 2017 3A
Cold brings high bills
Pacific Power says inclement weather to blame
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — Power
bill higher than expected?
You’re not alone.
Many in Polk County re-
ceived power bills that were
double what they were used
to seeing.
Tom Gauntt, spokesman
for Pacific Power, said the
simple answer is people use
more power when it is cold.
“There weren’t any major
rate increases,” he said. At
the first of the year, a 0.6 per-
cent increase went into ef-
fect. Depending on the days
covered in the bill, that in-
crease may be reflected.
Pacific Power charges
consumers a few cents more
for using more than 1,000
kilowatts in a billing cycle.
“The average use for folks
is 800, so there’s usually
plenty of room,” Gauntt said.
“If we increase (the billing
time), it starts stepping up in
a pro-rated way. The higher
rate wouldn’t hit until you hit
1,300 kw hours.”
Most billing cycles are about
28 days, Gauntt said, but many
in Polk County said their cycle
was 35 days last month.
Gauntt said the reasons be-
hind a longer cycle are often
because someone couldn’t get
out to read the meters.
Then, if a customer usual-
ly gets his or her meter read
on Tuesday, for example, but
the Pacific Power employee
couldn’t make it out, now
that employee has to read all
of Tuesday’s meters along
with all of Wednesday’s me-
ters, Gauntt said.
The flip side is that as Pa-
cific Power meter readers get
back on track, it could mean
a shorter billing period next
time, he said, meaning a
lower-than-expected bill.
The power company does
not regularly estimate some-
one’s power bill, Gauntt said.
“That’s something that
sometimes happens, but in
these cases when we know
that there’s potential to be a
high amount, we don’t want
Heating
Simple ways to make your heating system run more effi-
ciently:
Pay attention to the thermostat — Keeping the tem-
perature a few degrees cooler can lower your heating bill
and you can still be comfortable. Pacific Power recom-
mends setting your thermostat to 68° to save energy.
Use a programmable or smart thermostat to set the tem-
perature back automatically at night and while you're away
from home during the day.
Replace filters — Check forced-air furnace filters regu-
larly, and clean or replace them as often as once each
month during the heating season. Shake reusable filters
outside or spray them with a garden hose. Be sure they're
dry before replacing them.
Use window coverings to help insulate — Drapes can
add an extra layer of insulation to windows. Blinds also can
insulate, but they aren't as effective. Keep your drapes
closed at night and on sunny days, open the drapes and
blinds to let in the sun's free heat, especially on the south
side.
Keep vents clear — Don't block registers, baseboards,
radiators or cold air returns. Air must circulate through and
around them for maximum efficiency.
Seal and insulate your ducts — Seal heating ducts and
insulate ducts that run through unheated spaces. You may
be eligible to receive a cash incentive.
Consider a heat pump — If you have electric heat, con-
sider installing a heat pump or ductless heat pump to in-
crease energy efficiency. Heat pumps keep you warm in the
winter and cool in summer. Look for the Energy Guide label
that contains the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
and HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) energy
ratings. Look for 9 HSPF and 16 SEER or higher. You may be
eligible to receive a cash incentive.
— Source: PacificPower.net
to be guessing on something
like that,” he said.
Also, with kids out of
school during the inclement
weather and people staying
home from work or running
fewer errands, heaters have
been on more throughout
the day, as well as lights and
other things.
“I have gas heat, but the
fan is going that much more
if it’s cold and windy,”
Gauntt said. “Are you home
m o r e , y o u ’r e c o o k i n g
browines, the TV is on, the
kids aren’t at school.”
He said with cold, windy
weather, heaters and fur-
naces have to work harder to
keep homes warm.
Turning down the thermo-
stat while away is one way
homeowners can save on en-
ergy costs, but Gauntt said
not to turn them down too
low, because it takes more
energy to reheat the home.
Homeowners can take
simple steps to decrease
their energy costs without
replacing every old appli-
ance, Gauntt said.
“Not everyone can invest
in a new furnace,” he said.
“Caulking is a simple, cheap
thing.”
Weather stripping helps,
too, but those are things that
may be difficult to think
about when it’s 15 degrees
outside, Gauntt said.
“It’s kind of a hassle, but a
good idea,” he said.
Weatherization and insu-
lation help during the sum-
mer, too, Gauntt said.
“Even the simple thing of
pulling your drapes helps
keep heat in,” he said. “Not
everything’s expensive, and
they all add up.”
For questions about your
specific power bill: 888-221-
7070. To read more about
energy: pacificpower.net.
WINDERMERE WESTERN VIEW PROPERTIES
297 N. PACIFIC HWY • MONMOUTH • 503-838-1141
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JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Dallas may use the block with Fire &EMS and the old RadioShack for a future PD.
DPD building considered
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The city of
Dallas is looking at its op-
tions for a future police fa-
cility.
Recently the city was ap-
proached about using the
former Department of
Human Services building in
downtown Dallas as the site
for a new police station.
Currently, the police sta-
tion is at Dallas City Hall,
187 SE Court St.
City councilors Micky
Garus and Paul Trahan
were approached by the
b u i l d i n g o w n e r, R o d
Buchanan, about the city
using the former DHS
building for a police sta-
tion. The state recently
completed a new building
in Dallas on West Ellendale
to house the Department of
Human Services.
City Manager Ron Foggin
said police staff toured the
building, but the city had
another option in the old
RadioShack property that
the city purchased in July.
“What we are working on
right now is trying to identi-
fy a consultant that can
help us better master plan
the block east of us to help
us better understand what
can fit on that space and
what is the best use of the
funds moving forward,”
Foggin said.
He said the consultant
will help the city decide if
remodeling an existing
building or building a new
one would be the most
cost-effective.
“There’s some analysis
that we are hoping to get
done in the next three to six
months,” Foggin said.
In other business, the
city:
• Is trying to identify
funding sources to seismi-
cally retrofit city hall. Foggin
said the grant used to retro-
fit the fire station was
awarded by the Department
of Homeland Security.
“We are trying to figure
out, is there a way we can
use the police department
space to make this building
usable for those funds,”
Foggin said. “There’s a pos-
sibility we can make that
happen, so we are working
on that.”
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