Decorah City Council approves giving $5,000 to the group fighting Alliant Energy's rate increase request

Iowa Utility Board members have set October 7th, 8th and 9th as the dates for meeting in Des Moines to review Alliant's rate hike request.  At that time, a representative from the "Decorah Area Group" is expected to be on hand to answer any questions about their filing in opposition to the rate increase. 

The group is comprised of representatives from Luther College, Winneshiek Medical Center, Aase Haugen Senior Services, the Winneshiek Energy District and the City of Decorah.  Monday night the Decorah City Council agreed to give the group $5,000 to help cover legal fees from the group's attorney, Sheila Tipton of Des Moines.

Said city council member Ross Hadley, "We are intervening on behalf of our constituents, who, unless they are off the grid, are mandatory customers of Alliant."  Alliant has asked for rate hikes of around 24 percent, depending on a customer's classification.

The city council also formally appointed Steve Luse as its representative to meetings of the Decorah Area Group, and Hadley as the alternate representative.