Page 4 - Fall-2024-BPU-Connection-Final-PDF

YOUR UTILITY: Continued from page 1 As a public utility, we provide safe, reliable, and sustainable services while
Our Commitment to

Community Stewardship working to enhance the quality of life and strengthen the community we serve.

As a trusted partner to the Unified Government
(UG), BPU endows over $50 million annually in
costs to provide essential services, ensuring valuable Community
taxpayer dollars are saved by preventing duplication
of efforts. Through this partnership, we help maintain Investment
the efficiency and well-being of Wyandotte County
through:
• Maintaining 19,000 streetlights and Our mission is to deliver reliable utilities
5,300 traffic signals, ensuring safety and while enriching our community. We support
convenience for all residents. Wyandotte County through donations,
• Managing 6,800+ fire hydrants to support volunteer work, and financial aid. This year,
public safety and fire response.
• Operating the billing, collecting, and we raised over $60,000 through our Charity
administrative functions for UG’s trash, Golf Tournament, mentored hundreds of
wastewater, and stormwater utility services. local youth, and set aside $625,000 for
• Providing $8.2 million in water and electricity
to UG facilities, reducing costs for essential Utility and Hardship Assistance.
government operations.
• Supporting the county’s first-responder radio
system, keeping our community connected
and safe.
By streamlining these services, we
ensure that resources are used efficiently, Reliability
reinforcing our value of responsible
community stewardship while improving Because our staff lives in
quality of life and quality of place.
BPU is committed to doing more the community, we respond
with less, continually working to reduce quickly to emergencies. Our
spending, increase efficiencies, and commitment to reliability and
improve customer service, all while
meeting the utility needs and honoring safety has earned us multiple
the trust of our community. We are awards for excellence.
committed to providing reliable service
to Wyandotte County for years to come,
with your continued input to shape our
work and improve our community.

What is the PILOT Fee? Financial Strength

Under state statute, BPU, as a municipal utility, does We’ve earned strong credit ratings from national
not pay property taxes. In the place of these taxes,
the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) fee appears on agencies, reflecting our financial stability.
customers’ bills. We also use third-party auditors to ensure
The percentage of this fee is determined and set by transparency and accountability.
the UG Commission. All PILOT funds are transferred
directly to the UG on a monthly basis; none of the PILOT
funds are retained by BPU.
The PILOT fee helps support the UG’s broader budget
and essential services.
For more information about any of the charges that
appear on your utility bill, visit www.bpu.com and select
“Understanding My Bill” under the Residential tab.
4 | FALL 2024 Investing in Our Community, Powering Your Future