Utility director warns DOE orders could leave Coldwater customers on the hook for Campbell plant costs Coldwater's utility director told the board that successive DOE orders have kept Consumers Energy's J.H. Campbell coal plant operating, creating large recovery filings at FERC and potential cost exposure across MISO that could affect Coldwater indirectly.

Coldwater's utility director warns that federal orders could saddle local customers with hefty costs from the J.H. Campbell coal plant's extended operation.

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#ColdwaterBranchCounty #MI #ColdwaterUtilities #EnergyRegulation #CitizenPortal #CostAllocation #GridStability

Director warns DOE orders keeping J.H. Campbell online could drive regional cost allocation Utility Director Rudy Veil told the board that recent DOE/Federal orders requiring some retiring coal plants to run in 90-day increments have led Consumers Energy to file cost-recovery with FERC; Veil said Coldwater, as part of MISO, could see a modest share of the remaining $40 million balance and urged caution until FERC rules are final.

Utility Director Rudy Veil warns that federal orders could keep the J.H. Campbell coal plant running longer than planned, potentially impacting costs for local customers in the MISO region.

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#ColdwaterBranchCounty #MI #GridReliability #EnergyCosts #CoalPlantShutdown

Council reviews first round of 2025–26 budget amendments, narrows projected deficit Finance Director Tom Meldridge presented amendments that increase recognized revenue by about $792,000 and expenditures by about $742,000, reducing a previously approved $197,000 deficit to a $147,000 deficit; major revenue drivers include elevated building-permit income tied to local manufacturing and distribution projects.

Coldwater's budget just got a facelift, slashing the projected deficit from $197,000 to $147,000 thanks to a surge in building permits!

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#ColdwaterBranchCounty #MI #RevenueGrowth #ConstructionImpact #CitizenPortal #ColdwaterBudget #FiscalResponsibility

Council introduces food-truck inspection ordinance and adopts additional NFPA references for safety The council introduced ordinance 883 (food-truck regulation) and 884 (adoption of additional NFPA sections) after the fire department and fire marshal recommended joining a regional inspection consortium and requiring inspections tracked via a third-party cloud system that charges a $25 fee per inspection.

Coldwater City Council is taking action on food-truck safety, introducing new regulations to ensure your favorite meals on wheels are fire-safe!

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#ColdwaterBranchCounty #MI #CitizenPortal #ColdwaterFoodTrucks #PublicSafety #FoodTruckRegulations #FireCodeAdoption

Fire chief outlines 2025 response activity, equipment and training gains Fire Chief David Schmaltz reported roughly 1,515 department responses in 2025 (about 65% EMS), $32 million in estimated property saved from fires, improved turnout and response times, increased smoke-detector installations, and planned community-risk reduction efforts for 2026.

Fire Chief David Schmaltz revealed impressive stats from 2025, including over 1,500 emergency calls and $32 million saved in property, while laying out ambitious plans for the future.

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#ColdwaterBranchCounty #MI #CommunityRiskReduction #CitizenPortal #EmergencyResponse

Board approves routine consent items and several infrastructure and technology contracts The Coldwater Board of Public Utilities approved the consent agenda, a water-tower lease, fleet replacement, multiple substation and cybersecurity contracts, and authorized participation in a regional solar project. Details and dollar amounts were recorded for each approval.

The Coldwater Board of Public Utilities just made significant strides in infrastructure and cybersecurity, including a major solar project and fleet upgrades!

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#ColdwaterBranchCounty #MI #ColdwaterUtilities #CybersecurityInitiatives #CitizenPortal #InfrastructureDevelopment