Through a never before seen shared-service effort, three township entities have banded together and will save nearly $600,000 over the next two years. Evesham Township, the Evesham Township Fire District and the Evesham Municipal Utilities Authority came together earlier this month and successfully agreed to a new contract for its energy provider.
Deputy Township Manager Tom Shanahan said the three entities had an auction earlier this month for the supplier of electricity to the township. Shanahan said the state allows for the auction of “unbundled” electricity costs, which is basically the actual energy provided to the township.
The municipality is still required to pay PSE&G and Atlantic Electric fees for its set costs — such as its electric wires and maintenance — but it is able to choose its actual electricity provider.
After a live auction, Shanahan said the township’s new electric provide is Reliant Energy.
The even better news?
The three entities will save $577,000 over a 24-month contract period, he said.
The township itself will save $110,000 over the two-year contract, Shanahan said.
Between all three entities, about 12-million kilowatt-hours are consumed each year, Shanahan said, with the MUA using about three-quarters of that figure.
“The lowest responsible bidder was Reliant Energy. They won the bid for both the PSE&G service area and the Atlantic Energy service area,” he said. “PSE&G covers about 95 percent of the area in the township. Atlantic Energy has just a small portion in the township. It includes a firehouse, the MUA, and a few pumping stations.”
There were six bidders who submitted 13 bids for the PSE&G coverage area, Shanahan said, and six bidders who submitted 10 bids for the Atlantic Energy area.
In other township news:
Township Manager Tom Czerniecki’s last day in the township will be on Friday, Feb. 3, before he takes a new position as township manager of Eastampton Township.
Czerniecki said he wanted to be completely clear that he was not actively searching out a new position. However, because he lives in Eastamptown Township with his family, he had to pay attention to this new opportunity.
Czerniecki has been with the township since 2007.
“It was a very unique experience coming into the town. Right away, we had to do a very significant layoff and then a significant tax increase for residents. I wasn’t a very popular guy right away. It was extremely challenging,” he said.
But after his initial introduction, Czerniecki says he enjoyed his time greatly in the township and thanked residents and volunteers for making Evesham what it is today.
“I would say that I found that the residents and the volunteers of Evesham were really extraordinary people, by and large. I made some lifelong friendships,” he said. “The town treated me royally, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
Interim manager Bill Cromie will replace Czerniecki while the council looks for a fulltime replacement.
