New Lenox: Energy supplier can save residents $174 each year

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Tim Baldermann

Updated: November 8, 2011 12:33AM

NEW LENOX — The village of New Lenox and the city of Crest Hill have chosen Direct Energy as their electricity supplier for the next two years.

The aggregation program can save the average resident about 25 percent or $174 per year, officials say.

Residents who sign up still receive their bill from ComEd since that utility will still deliver the electricity sold by Direct Energy. ComEd will still handle outages.

No one is required to switch to the new supplier. Mayor Tim Baldermann said people can do what they want, but that there’s no reason not to enjoy the cost savings the village is able to offer through the program.

Residents received a letter with program information and can opt out by mailing in the form by July 27. Residents 65 or older may receive an even larger discount by calling Direct Energy’s customer care center at 866-760-6040.

In other village news:

A Heartland Blood Drive will be from 9 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. July 30 at Village Hall. Donors will receive a Parrot Head T-shirt, a coupon for a quart of Oberweis ice cream and a coupon for a Culver’s butter burger. Register online at www.heartlandbc.org or call the village at 815-462-6400 and ask for Carol.

There are 130 tickets left for the Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon concerts. Tickets can be purchased at Village Hall.

The mayor and trustees honored retiring Deputy Clerk Bonnie Motyka at her final board meeting Monday night.

“She’s the best. Bonnie you will be missed,” Baldermann said.

Trustee Keith Madsen said he is encouraged by the number of new residential building permits issued. He said that as of Monday night there were 27.

Baldermann wanted people to know that there is a process for people calling about residences with unkempt lawns.

Complaints are being handled, he said, but property owners first must be notified and given 10 days to cut their lawns. After the 10 days, if the lawn still has not been cut, then the village will call a contractor who has seven days to respond.

There will be more new vendors at Saturday’s French Market, including a corn on the cob vendor.

There will be a concert in the commons Sunday.

There will a golf outing July 29 at Sanctuary Golf Course with the money going toward college scholarships. Anyone interested can call Lynn at 815-370-9036. Prices are $100 for golf and $25 for dinner.

The board approved temporary signs for New Lenox’s 5k PAD Fun Run which will begin at 9 a.m. July 31.