Marin Clean Energy wants Benicia residents and business owners to know that in May they’ll be enrolled as electricity customers of the community choice aggregation agency, unless they choose to remain with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Allison Kirk, MCE account manager, told the City Council on Tuesday.

To avoid the change, customers must make that wish known, under the California law that authorized the organization of such agencies as MCE, which Benicia applied to join last year.

Those who don’t withdraw from MCE also will have choices to make, including whether to have the agency buy half or 100 percent of their power consumption from renewable, or “green,” sources, Kirk said.

Though the state requires MCE to have an information campaign and send out four letters reminding prospective customers of the change, MCE actually sends five, Kirk said.

The first mailing will be Feb. 19, she said, and another enrollment notice will go out in March. The third notice will be a tri-fold pamphlet, a different design in case recipients thought the first two letters were junk mail, she said.

Two more pamphlets will be sent in May and June, Kirk said.

But the outreach program will go past that, she said in Tuesday’s presentation to the Council, which also was asked to contribute suggestions to the agency’s plan.

With the help of the Council and city employees, MCE will form a Community Leader Advisory Group (CLAG) made up of eight to 12 residents who would comment as well as oversee the agency’s outreach efforts, help draft enrollment notices and assist in organizing and promoting town hall-style meetings with the public, not only to tell them of the change but also to inform them of energy options they may select.

The agency also is opening a call center, at 888-632-3674, that would have staff available around the clock and speak not only English and Spanish, but also Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog and Laotian.

Those in the call center would be handling calls not only from Benicia, but also San Pablo and El Cerrito, which are joining MCE at the same time, Kirk said.

However, she assured the Council that would present no problem, since the employees have answered calls from a larger new-membership base in the past.

“They are very well-trained and well-informed,” she said.

Those who prefer to email requests or questions will be able do so at Info@mceCleanEnergy .org, an email address monitored by the agency’s customer service staff that attempts to reply within a business day, Kirk said.

In addition, MCE is offering to place a member of its staff in Benicia after the first enrollment notices are mailed.

Billboards, taxi signs and advertising in both Benicia Magazine and The Herald also will inform the public about MCE’s launch as Benicia’s electricity provider, and soon the agency will have a Web page dedicated to Benicia.

Face-to-face meetings with multiple business, service, homeowner and religious organizations also are planned, Kirk said.

Representatives also will participate in such events as the Benicia Certified Farmers Market, Friday’s Wine and Chocolate Walk and Benicia in Bloom in May, and will attend city advisory panel meetings and those of the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees and local parent-teacher groups.

Kirk said MCE will make a special effort to reach out to those who speak English as a second language, those who are older and those who are involved in Benicia’s commerce and industries.

Councilmember Christina Strawbridge urged MCE to explain clearly to older residents how their utility discount would continue with the new agency, and reminded Kirk to include St. Dominic’s as one of the churches the agency requests to visit.

Councilmember Alan Schwartzman urged the agency to visit the Benicia Senior Center, too.

Mayor Elizabeth Patterson recommended the agency speak to the Downtown Benicia Alliance, the Benicia Bicycle Club and Benicia Community Gardens as well as the city’s two larger groceries.

“Updates at the Council meetings would be helpful,” she added.