Patti Dozier/Times-EnterpriseKeith Bass, interim utilities superintendent, addresses city officials at the Wednesday utilities committee meeting. 

THOMASVILLE — The six months Keith Bass signed up for as Thomasville Utilities (TU) interim superintendent ends next week.

On Wednesday, Bass, a Marietta resident, told city council members and other city officials the city should be competitive in the utilities market.

He said 84 percent of electric utilities’ total operating cost is the wholesale purchase of power. The second largest costs are transfers from TU to the city general fund.

The 2018 revenue for electric was $57.5 million, Bass said. Transfers from electric this year total $6.8 million, leaving $7 million for payroll, equipment and maintenance of the electric system.

“We’re still going to end this year with a positive net income for the whole system,” Bass told officials at a Wednesday council utilities committee meeting.

He urged officials to become involved in dialogue about what they want to accomplish. 

“I encourage y’all to do that,” Bass said.

Bass pointed out that transfers from TU to general government prevent property taxes. 

“All of this has to work together,” he said. “It is an accomplishment not to have property taxes. I know you want to be able to continue that.”

Thomasville resident Alston Watt asked Bass to talk about opportunities and threats. Among his responses was that to whom the utilities superintendent reports is an opportunity and a threat.

The two previous city managers also served as general utilities superintendent. City council is looking for a new city manager and a new utilities superintendent. It has not been decided — and was not discussed Wednesday — whether the utilities superintendent hired will report to the city manager or to the council.

Mayor Greg Hobbs and Council member Terry Scott did not attend the Wednesday meeting.

The city, Bass said, has lost some vision. 

“I’ve heard this from a number of folks,” he added.

However, Bass thinks the city will meet challenges and flourish.