Jewett City Public Utility hikes sewer rate by 77%

[This article was originally published on January 7, 2007]

While Jewett City residents and small business owners have been digging in their pockets to pay sewer rate increases, the Jewett City Department of Public Utilities (JCDPU) has been accumulating cash-on-hand exceeding $5,000,000 (five million) dollars. Audited financial statements for the JCDPU Sewer Division for the period ending June 30, 2006 indicate that cash and cash equivalents totaling $5,687,334 were being held on deposit.

On June 30, 2006, JCDPU commissioners imposed a 44% retroactive sewer rate hike and re-calculated consumer bills going back to January 1, 2006. When added to the rate hike of 23% imposed three years ago, the previous rate of $3.08 per hundred cubic feet of water has increased $2.38 to put the current rate at $5.46 per hundred cubic feet.

Back in June 2006, the Norwich Bulletin reported that rate payers speculated that the JCDPU set the June 30th meeting on the Friday before the July 4th holiday to keep attendance low. Jewett City Party Founder, Ron Ward, believes that the June 30th meeting date was timed to coincide with the last day of the JCDPU fiscal year.

Because the rate hike was retroactive, Jewett City Public Utilities was permitted to reflect the "new" revenue on their balance sheet for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. JCP Founder Ron Ward, stated, "Once again, the consumer's pocket has been picked by the hand of the corporate balance sheet. This time around, the flagrant deed was exceptional because the "pick pocket" is publicly owned by the residents of Jewett City!"

Public Accountability

The Jewett City Department of Public Utilities is governed by a three member Board of Commissioners. The Commissioners are charged with the public responsibility to be the overseers for both divisions of the JCDPU: Electric Power and Sewerage. These Commissioners are appointed to their positions of public trust by the Board of Warden and Burgesses of Jewett City.

The wallets of Jewett City residents and taxpayers are not well-springs from which to quench the Board of Commissioner's thirst to increase the Jewett City Public Utilities balance sheet. Elected officials of the Borough of Jewett City have cast aside the needs of Jewett City residents by "turning a blind eye" to the actions of their appointees that serve as Commissioners of the Jewett City Department of Public Utilities.

Election Day - May 7th 2007 - is "eye doctor" day for elected officials. Voter's will have the opportunity to prescribe a new set of eyeglasses for Jewett City.