[JayCT]

What is wrong with the politicians in Stratford? They are selling their wastewater treatment facilities to the New Haven Regional Authority. Are they stupid or just shortsighted? The New Haven Authority is just going to increase the rates Stratford residents pay for sewer service and the town will have little to no control on what they do.

Regional Authorities do not have to answer to the local towns. Just witness what MDC did to towns like Glastonbury, raising the rates for water without any accountability. The State Legislature had to intervene to stop it. To sell off facilities to an Authority that is not even nearby seems even dumber. What's next they will be selling off the schools to New Britain???

This seems like another poorly conceived move by the leaders of Stratford. Too bad, I thought Stratford was a decent town but then again when you think how they have sat on the Shakespeare Theater and Avco Lycoming properties for decades, it really makes you wonder about the leadership of the town. Any thoughts on this? Jay

http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/...CA-6190604.php

[Lintu]

There's a lot of outrage about it, at least among people who keep up with local politics in Stratford.

[froglipz]

Yes this is a common practice short term gain for a local government and long term loss. Unfortunately local politicians look at the world in 4 year increments, save a buck now and cost the residents more at a future date after they are out of office. Because once they are out of office not their problem, and some even end up being hired as high paid administrators for the very regional facility they helped get in place, (who would have guessed). Working in the wastewater industry for over 30 years I have seen way too many politicians look for an easy out that comes home to roost in the not too distant future.

[MrGompers]

IMO always a bad idea to sell off large assets like this. I suppose they are after the $11 million dollars they will receive. I wonder what they have planned for that ?

What caught my attention was this "relief from $37 million in debt that resulted from a major waste treatment upgrade in 2009"

I don't know what they think, but that debt isn't going anywhere. Unless perhaps they are talking about being released from the liability of the debt (i.e. removing it from their balance sheet)

Within the last year there was a story that New Britain was considering selling one of its "back up water reservoirs" to Southington who has been leasing it from New Britain for a number of years. As far as I know that sale hasn't taken place though. IMO very dumb to be selling a water asset like that too.

[JayCT]

The New Haven Authority will take on the debt but where do you think the money to pay that extra $11 million is coming from? The rate payers that is who. Once this happens, the sewer users of Stratford will see their rates rise. The Mayor and Council are clearly not thinking what is best for the users. They are thinking that a rate increase is not going to be their problem. The residents should be outraged at this. Jay

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by JayCT

The New Haven Authority will take on the debt but where do you think the money to pay that extra $11 million is coming from? The rate payers that is who. Once this happens, the sewer users of Stratford will see their rates rise. The Mayor and Council are clearly not thinking what is best for the users. They are thinking that a rate increase is not going to be their problem. The residents should be outraged at this. Jay

I agree with your assessment. The way the article is worded to me at least is seems like they think the $37 million is going to disappear. Its not, although they are going to be released from the liability. The ratepayers of Stratford are already paying off the $37 million whether they know it or not.

When the $37 million gets rolled into the New Haven Authorities balance sheet the other member towns will not want to pay for it. Most likely its going to be carved out and Stratford residents are going to be surcharged for it. If they're smart they won't call it a surcharge but give it a much more ambiguous and sexy name like "systems improvement charge" "environmental charge" "green energy charge" etc The $11 million is going to eventually be recovered as well. New Haven Authority may have $11 million in cash on their balance sheet, but I highly doubt it. Otherwise they would be looking for ways to spend it and enticing another town to join isn't one of those ways.

I would think a correlation can be made when Glastonbury joined the MDC. They pay higher rates than other member towns, basically because other member towns don't want to pay for Glastonbury's connections and future improvements. That makes sense, but to think any of it would be free or even subsidized is silly. When the Govt runs out of ways to increase fees and taxes, utilities such as water will be next.

My water and sewer rates in Rocky Hill which is part of the MDC have risen 25% in 4 years. My water usage has remained the same. As a matter of fact, I just replaced my toilet with a 1.28 gallon version and will be replacing the shower head too. I'll see how much that affects the bill in 3 months I suppose.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

I agree with your assessment. The way the article is worded to me at least is seems like they think the $37 million is going to disappear. Its not, although they are going to be released from the liability. The ratepayers of Stratford are already paying off the $37 million whether they know it or not.

When the $37 million gets rolled into the New Haven Authorities balance sheet the other member towns will not want to pay for it. Most likely its going to be carved out and Stratford residents are going to be surcharged for it. If they're smart they won't call it a surcharge but give it a much more ambiguous and sexy name like "systems improvement charge" "environmental charge" "green energy charge" etc The $11 million is going to eventually be recovered as well. New Haven Authority may have $11 million in cash on their balance sheet, but I highly doubt it. Otherwise they would be looking for ways to spend it and enticing another town to join isn't one of those ways.

I would think a correlation can be made when Glastonbury joined the MDC. They pay higher rates than other member towns, basically because other member towns don't want to pay for Glastonbury's connections and future improvements. That makes sense, but to think any of it would be free or even subsidized is silly. When the Govt runs out of ways to increase fees and taxes, utilities such as water will be next.

My water and sewer rates in Rocky Hill which is part of the MDC have risen 25% in 4 years. My water usage has remained the same. As a matter of fact, I just replaced my toilet with a 1.28 gallon version and will be replacing the shower head too. I'll see how much that affects the bill in 3 months I suppose.

Glastonbury is not a member of MDC. The people there are just customers of their water division and have no representation on the MDC Board. Because MDC is chartered directly by the State Assembly, MDC reports to no one. They are not required to get approvals for any changes in rate structure from the Utilities Commission like other utilities do. MDC arbitrarily increased water rates for Glastonbury users by 50%. This rightfully caused an uproar until finally MDC was forced to reduce the increase on Glastonbury users to a more reasonable fee.

Glastonbury is also at odds with MDC over property they own off Keeny Street in East Glastonbury. MDC has for years been trying to develop the property but the town has fought it because it is designated watershed property and has not paid taxes on it. Again because MDC answers to no one, they feel that they are not obligated to offer the land to the town at a reduced price like other utilities must do. They had tried to sell a piece of it to a non-profit for housing but that got stopped by the town. It is a battle that has also been brewing for decades. I have had a number of issues with poor service and billing from MDC over the years. Another utility would have been stopped along time ago. Jay

[MrGompers]

If some Glastonbury properties receive water from MDC wouldn't they be customers ? I also thought that Glastonbury and maybe South Windsor where paying higher rates because MDC wants to roll out to more properties in those towns?

I remember getting a sexy flier with my bill from MDC describing something like this. It was probably 2 years ago.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

If some Glastonbury properties receive water from MDC wouldn't they be customers ? I also thought that Glastonbury and maybe South Windsor where paying higher rates because MDC wants to roll out to more properties in those towns?

I remember getting a sexy flier with my bill from MDC describing something like this. It was probably 2 years ago.

That was the claim but they have made no moves to expand their system. They had also claimed that they needed to pay for the $4 million it cost them to acquire the systems years back but even that is questionable. Fortunately that was all resolved but we still got a rate hike. The same kind of thing can happen in Stratford with the New Haven Regional Authority. Jay

[MiaMia411]

Recall these morons from their positions since they obviously cant do anything right.