HED Rate Hike Delayed
HARDWICK – A 18.6 percent rate increase which the Hardwick Electric Department had planned to implement in October has been postponed, and it may be several more months before the village trustees get a response from the state Public Service Board (PSB) on their request for higher rates.
In last week’s issue of The Gazette, the village trustees notified the customers of the Hardwick Electric Department that the rates would be going up an average of Oct. 1, 1980 billing. That notice has been rescinded in this week’s Gazette.
Village Clerk Carmeline Williams said she had been told that the rate increase is being delayed because a decision on the rate case is expected this week, but PSB Clerk Susan Hudson said last week that a decision still may be months away because the hearing examiner has not written his report for the case. The report will have to be reviewed by the parties involved in the case before it goes to the three-member Public Service Board for a final decision.
Mrs. Hudson said that the Electric Department doesn’t have the authority to raise the rates on an interim basis as it had planned because of the way the supporting data was filed last winter.
The Hardwick rate case began in February of 1979, when the trustees filed a request for a new tariff schedule to take effect April 1, 1979, which would raise the rates about 26.7 percent. The rate increase request varied from class to class, and the increase for residential customers was just about 30 percent.
When the PSB failed to reach a decision in the rate case within six months, the Electric Department exercised its option to implement the rates on an interim basis. The department filed a bond to cover any money it might have to pay back if the PSB did not go along with any part of the rate increase request.
Last January the Hardwick rate increase case was delayed further when the Electric Department asked to submit data to justify an additional 15.4 percent increase in its rates. The second rate increase ended up at 19.6 percent.
At the time the parties involved in the rate case stipulated that the new information would not be treated as a new rate increase request, but rather an updated testimony on the original rate request.
That stipulation prevents the Electric Department from imposing the additional rate increase on an interim basis, according to Mrs. Hudson.
Last week Mrs. Hudson returned the $20,000 bond which the Electric Department had filed to cover any possible return payments which might be necessary if the second rate increase is eventually turned down by the PSB.
Mrs. Hudson wasn’t too optimistic about a speedy resolution of the rate case that has been going on for almost 20 months. She said the hearing examiner has been involved in the New England Telephone rate case, which has involved numerous court appeals.
Variety of rumors troubling selectmen
HARDWICK – At their regular weekly meeting last Thursday the Hardwick Selectmen tried to figure out a way to combat rumors that have been circulating recently about town government.
“Rumors are running wild.” Town Manager Ernie Laird told the selectmen.
Laird was concerned about a rumor in town that the selectmen were trying to block the plan of Woodex of New England to locate a plant in Hardwick.
Since the beginning of the year, the selectmen have been working with the Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) to develop an industrial park in town, and have been involved in confidential negotiations with Woodex, which produces wood pellets for heating fuel.
The selectmen affirmed their support for having a new industry locate in Hardwick. It was noted that some people in town are claiming that the plant would create too much traffic, deplete the forests in this area, and lower the water table.
Selectman Wayne Shepard said that some people in town want to “protect the status quo.”
Selectman Roger Slayton said that public support for the industrial park is important. “The people have a choice to either remain in a bedroom welfare community or to become a progressive town,” he said.
Laird reported that he himself has been the target of some rumors which he didn’t consider worthy of comment. “I have made enemies,” Laird acknowledged, noting that people seem to hold things against him personally.
The selectmen were sympathetic. “It’s so easy to criticize, and so hard to contend with all the problems.” said Slayton, noting that people are free to attend weekly meetings.
Laird indicated he has been taking some criticism for not releasing the names of people who did not pay back their HUD loans to the town, as has been requested by Erlene LaViolette.
Laird told the selectmen he has also had some problems with Al Anair over the earth moving work in progress at the industrial park. To clear up any misunderstandings, Laird obtained a letter from NVDA Executive Director Charlie Carter stating that the Hardwick Selectmen and Laird were in charge of the excavation work being done by the Hardwick and Greensboro crews.
While reporting on the industrial park, Laird said that more usable sand has been found than anticipated, and that both Greensboro and Hardwick should get a three year’s supply out of the deal.
