WARREN, Ohio - Electric and gas rates could be changing in parts of Trumbull County. The commissioners have entered into an agreement with the County Commissioners Association of Ohio to bargain with utility suppliers as part of a new aggregate program. 

“We can just indicate pretty significant savings…now the market rate is somewhere around 9, ten, eleven, twelve cents and we're going to be below that a couple cents probably,” John Leutz, the Assistant Director of the CCAO said. 

Those firm rates will come next month then they will be presented to the commissioners to accept or deny.

“We all know that utility rates are going up and we have to do everything we can to keep them down for the residents,” Tony Bernard, Trumbull County Commissioner said. “[The CCAO is] not in it to make money they're in it to get us the best possible price that we can and the other companies I think they’re in it for profit."

If accepted, everyone in the current county aggregate program will automatically be enrolled. The new rates would start in February for gas and May for electric. Any resident is able to opt out at any time and search for their own rates. 

But not everyone in the county will see the change. 

Areas not allowed to join the county's electric aggregate program include Warren, Lordstown, Niles, Brookfield and Liberty Townships. Liberty Township is also not allowed to join the county's gas aggregate program. Most of those areas already have their own. 

Residents in the county program will be notified one month before any change.