Power lines and mosquitoes were the two topics that dominated the May 23 Frisco town hall meeting.
Most of the questions residents asked regarded the recently approved stipulation agreement that calls for buried power lines in West Frisco and what steps the city is taking to control the mosquito population.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved an agreement May 19 between the city of Frisco, Brazos Electric and other parties that would allow power lines along Main Street in West Frisco to be buried. A portion of the route—about 300 feet east of FM 423 and about 2,000 feet west of FM 423—would be overhead lines. The agreement calls for the city to pay more than $12 million toward the cost of burying the lines.
Several residents asked why the city did not plan better for the power lines. Frisco City Manager George Purefoy said it is the responsibility of CoServ, an electric distribution cooperative, to plan its power lines according to the growth of the city, not the responsibility of the city.
Another resident asked how much his electricity bill would increase as a result of the buried power lines. Under the stipulation agreement, CoServ has agreed to raise its utility franchise fee from 3 percent to 4 percent to help pay for the city's contribution toward the cost of burying the lines. Therefore, residents who are CoServ ratepayers would pay about 1 percent more for the gross sales of electricity on their bills.
For the topic on mosquitoes, several residents asked if the city had considered alternative methods, such as mosquito-eating fish and bat boxes, to control the mosquito population. Julie Stallcup, Frisco environmental health supervisor, said the city has considered various alternatives, though some of those alternatives do not make a significant impact on the mosquito population.
Another resident asked when the city would spray again for mosquitoes. Stallcup said the city does not spray for mosquitoes proactively, but rather targets areas that have been identified to have disease-infested mosquitoes.
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here to view the video of the May 23 town hall meeting.