"Community listening event" will be held late this month to discuss franchise agreement with Alliant Energy

City of Decorah officials want to hear from members of the public with ideas or written comments about what a new franchise agreement with Alliant Energy should look like.

The city's Utility Committee has scheduled a public forum for 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 30th, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Committee members say they will go without a franchise agreement for now (the previous one has expired) to give time to hear what the public has to say.  Utility Committee Chair Andy Carlson says the length of a new franchise agreement with Alliant is up in the air, but there's been interest in the model used by Fairfield, Iowa, of having a 25-year agreement which would be re-examined every 5 years.

Alliant Energy Regional Director Matt Cole told city officials Monday night there is no problem to not having a franchise agreement right now, saying, "We're still going to be here 24/7."