Small town; big power bills

FORT MEADE - Before you start complaining about your electric bill this summer, think about the folks in Fort Meade. The tiny Polk County town just south of Bartow now has one of the highest electric rates in the entire state.

"Something has to happen here," said Toula Gianopoulas, the owner of the Miner's Inn, a popular restaurant and hangout in the middle of town. "We're a small community. The economy is bad. There is no money, nowhere for the increase we're getting."

The electric bill for her restaurant will go up about $400 a month, to $4,400. The average homeowner's electric bill will go from $150 to $175 a month.

That may be hard for many residents to pay, but city officials say the rates have to go up because they are backed into a corner.

"We absolutely have to increase the rates," Fort Meade's finance director, Mel Parker, told FOX 13.

The city has been buying most of its electric from TECO. But that contract just ran out, and another one kicked in.

Years ago, Fort Meade decided to become a member of the Florida Municipal Power Agency. Back then, it seemed like a good idea to Fort Meade city fathers, but not so much anymore.

The cost of electricity has gone way up. Fort Meade says FMPA has spent too much money building power plants. FMPA says rates are high because the cost of fuel has jumped so dramatically recently.

Either way, Fort Meade residents are stuck picking up the bill, no matter how big.

"Long term, I can't see any changes, because we are stuck in this organization for at least the next 30 years," said the town's city manager, Fred Hilliard.