WARREN, Ohio - The Trumbull County Board of Commissioners voted on Wednesday to enter into a new energy aggregation program during their meeting Wednesday morning.

Commissioners voted 2-1 in favor of entering into a contract with the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO) to bargain with utility providers as part of a new aggregate program.

Commissioners Denny Malloy and Tony Bernard voted in favor of the resolution, but Commissioner Rick Hernandez voted against it. Hernandez told 21 News he thought there could have been some opportunities for better rates if commissioners waited a little longer, but Malloy and Bernard both thought that was too much of a gamble and that CCAO was the way to go.

Hernandez says a vote several months ago to retain CCAO prevented the opportunity for others to propose their rates. Hernandez abstained from that vote. 

The final rates under the new aggregate program have not been determined yet, but commissioners say they hope to know those rates by the end of the day.

Now that commissioners have okayed the contract, everyone who was already enrolled in the county's previous program with Buckeye Energy will automatically be enrolled in this one.

However, some communities like Warren, Lordstown, Niles, Brookfield Township and Liberty Township have their own electric or gas aggregate programs and will not be affected by the new rates. 

Commissioners say municipalities and private citizens who are already in the program can opt in or out at any time, but those who are not already in the program cannot opt in or out at will. Those communities must first exit their own program and request to opt in to the county's aggregate program.

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

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