Category Archives: Utilities of Norwich

Board of CMEEC and NPU

There is a lot of chatter and even a parody of the CMEEC (Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative) excursion to the Kentucky Derby. But the most important participants are a wall of silence as well as they should be. I do not condone the trips. I think it was a very poor business decision, a poor political choice to participate and just an all-around bad option. But, alas who am I but a rate payer in only one of the municipalities.

To me, a board of directors is a group of individuals that are elected as, or elected to act as, representatives of the stockholders to establish corporate management related policies and to make decisions on major company issues.(from www.centerfornonprofitexcellence.org).

Essentially it is the role of the board of directors to hire the CEO or general manager of the business and assess the overall direction and strategy of the business. The CEO or general manager is responsible for hiring all of the other employees and overseeing the day-to-day operation of the business. (Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.) Understanding the roles and responsibilities should be the first task when appointed. (from www.centerfornonprofitexcellence.org)
From the Norwich Public Utilities website I learned Norwich Public Utilities operates under municipal ownership, which means that it is owned by its customers and the City of Norwich.
The Norwich Board of Public Utilities Commission is made up of five members from the Norwich community. Members are appointed by the City Council and serve 5-year terms. The Board of Utilities Commissioners also serve as the Norwich Sewer Authority. The commissioners live in the community as your neighbors, NPU’s commissioners understand the needs of Norwich and are responsible to all the citizens.
Per the CMEEC website The Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative or “CMEEC” is a publicly directed joint action supply agency formed by Connecticut’s municipal electric utilities in 1976 under the state’s General Statutes. Headquartered in Norwich, CT.
CMEEC is responsible for the financing, acquisition and construction of generating resources and implementation of power supply contracts for the purpose of furnishing low-cost and reliable electric power to its members and participants. Electric energy purchase contracts and other resources obtained by CMEEC supply power to each of the community-owned utilities. The utilities in turn distribute the power at retail to local homes and businesses at the lowest prices in Connecticut.
CMEEC is organized as a partnership of five municipal utilities, each locally controlled. Through their ownership of and active participation in CMEEC, the member utilities are represented on the Board of Directors and thus provide the organization’s overall direction and governance.
CMEEC’s member utilities are: City of Norwich Department of Public Utilities, City of Groton Department of Utilities, Borough of Jewett City Electric Light Plant, Norwalk Third Taxing District Electrical Department and South Norwalk Electric Works. In addition to these five voting members of the cooperative, CMEEC provides wholesale power to participating utilities Bozrah Light & Power Company and Mohegan Tribal Utility Authority.
CMEEC represents members and participants as a single-entity participant in the regional Independent System Operation (ISO-New England) and the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL). CMEEC serves as the designated bargaining agent for the State of Connecticut with respect to the New York Power Authority’s allocation of Niagara and St. Lawrence power supply. CMEEC actively participates in industry groups such as: the American Public Power Association (APPA), the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA), the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and the Connecticut Valley Electric Exchange (CONVEX).

Local representation with shared control: CMEEC’s Board of Directors is made up of two representatives from each of the member utilities. The Board sets policy for CMEEC and performs other duties and responsibilities as determined by applicable state statutes and CMEEC’s bylaws. The Board is responsible for operating CMEEC in such a way that power supply services are provided for the optimum economic benefit of all members. Member systems control the process through their active Board participation. Members and participating utilities pay for power based on a rate tariff that reflects a melding of costs of CMEEC’s total supply system.
The business model of NPU is cost-based. Customers pay rates that reflect the cost of the services provided, not simply what customers are willing to pay. This is different from investor-owned utilities, where profits may be maximized for return to individual investors. In contrast, NPU’s municipal ownership returns profit directly to the community it serves. (http://www.norwichpublicutilities.com/about-npu/business-model)
BoardSource, in their booklet “Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards”, itemized the following 10 responsibilities for nonprofit boards. In a for-profit corporation, the board of directors is responsible to the stockholders — a more progressive perspective is that the board is responsible to the stakeholders, that is, to everyone who is interested and/or can be effected by the corporation.

1. Determine the Organization’s Mission and Purpose
2. Select the Executive
3. Support the Executive and Review His or Her Performance
4. Ensure Effective Organizational Planning
5. Ensure Adequate Resources
6. Manage Resources Effectively
7. Determine and Monitor the Organization’s Products, Services and Programs
8. Enhance the Organization’s Public Image
9. Serve as a Court of Appeal
10. Assess Its Own Performance

So I guess we now have to ask the Board members of CMEEC and its CEO to evaluate their performance and their trip and anything else the public doesn’t need to know about. But perhaps we can be wiser in who our City Council appoints to the Commission and their abilities to make the decisions that ultimately fall to the utility rate payers in our city and beyond, whether they are members of this esteemed organization or not.

Thank you for sharing my blog with your friends. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com
View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs and please read the daily 225th Bulletin Anniversary Nuggets in the newspaper daily.

Budgets

I hate budget season and having to pour over financial reports and staring at columns of numbers and what I really hate is having to ask people to justify the jobs of their staff and themselves. What do you do and why are you necessary? What makes you important to my company or in this case my city? Why do you spend money the way that you do? Isn’t there a better and more cost efficient way to get the same things done? If it can be repaired with an elastic band, gum and a paper clip a new one is not needed. I just hope that there was municipal accounting education evening for the members of the Norwich City Council and the Mayor before there were the department budget hearings and if not before the budget vote. It’s not just about raising or lowering taxes. It’s about what can be done currently and in the future.

Municipal accounting is generally open and transparent because the citizens of a city have the right to know how its money is being used if not spent. Municipal accounting is the accounting branch that focuses on the accounting for cities and towns.

In addition to taxes cities receive income from any number of sources that include fees, fines grants, loans and gifts. Some may have strings, limitations, use and reporting requirements.   

Just like any business there are also a number of ways that the disbursement of funds to employees, private contractors, insurance, and even  utilities is handled.  Every payment is tracked with a clear record from its cause to its payment. The records are open to the public for inspection and are usually audited by a certified firm that the accounting practices are honest and above board and the records are regularly checked for signs of irregularity that could indicate embezzlement or financial privilege abuse.  

Lots of companies manufacture software for use in municipal accounting that can be adapted for use determined by the cities size, and accounting needs. Proper software also allows for the generation of statistics, reports and responses to public inquiries from individuals and media interested in the use of their public funds.

Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com

View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs01?taxid=1172

 

Norwich Stay-cation

If you were going to plan Norwich CT as your vacation destination what would you plan to do and see? Where would you stay? Where would you eat? What souvenirs would you purchase?

Norwich is host to a number of airbnb properties that range from very affordable to absurdly expensive and vastly over-rated as well as a Holiday Inn, Norwich Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, Rosemont Suites and the Spa at the Norwich Inn.

If you do not have your own transportation Norwich does have limited bus service, taxi, Uber, various rent-a-car services and access to Zip in nearby New London.  New signs to various areas of the town are in the process of being placed to make your travel on foot and by car easier.

Like any city in America there are plenty of places to eat. Most specialize in the fried foods preferred by the area residents but there is Vietnamese, Chinese, an Irish American Pub, Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern, sandwich shops and even a brewery that is perfect for lunch or an early dinner. If you are looking for a greater selection of fine dining than two of the largest casinos in the world are at your disposal.

For unique souvenirs visit Uncas Pharmacy and McKenna’s Flowers they each have wonderful and special Norwich items that are not available anywhere else.

Rainy days are never a problem as there are the expected art galleries and museums like Slater, Gallery at the Wauregan, Norwich Art Center and an indoor skating rink. There are also the most unexpected treats on almost every street corner. The main Fire Station has a wonderful collection of fire apparatus and pictures that tell the story of how fire protection has grown and changed over the years. If you pop over to the Yantic Fire Station you can see one of the largest collections of early 20th century action fire photos collected anywhere in the United States.

Taking a hike is not restricted to the paths within the almost 400 acres of Mohegan Park but go to Occum and wander the village, trot the back or the water side of the Taftville mills. Look up into the sky and in the trees for the large eagle nests. Visit the fish ladder. To build excitement for your visit check with the Norwich Department of Public Utilities to see if there is an otter in residence during your stay and if it is starring on CCTV.  Maybe spend a day at the uncrowded beach at Mohegan Park or plan a romantic picnic in the Rose Garden.

If you are into fishing there are plenty of places for you to catch and release. Norwich has three main rivers, the Shetucket, the Thames and the Yantic. All of the rivers are stocked with fish and are accessible by land, boat, kayak and canoe.

Norwich residents can plan a weekends of stay-cations high-lighted with visits to Dodd Stadium for ball games, or games of golf and swing practice. In the evening there are live plays and music performances.

Nothing to do? Let me introduce you to one of the best kept secrets in no less than three states.

Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com

View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs01?taxid=1172

 

18 Questions on the Ballot

November 3, 2015 is election day and don’t forget your reading glasses. For the first time in years it is going to be a double-sided ballot. On side one will be the candidates. Do not for an instant think that this is a minor election. The City Council makes the decisions how your property taxes are used. The School Board controls the largest budget in the city. Learn everything you can about the candidates and cast your votes with care.

After you have cast your votes, it is time to turn your ballot over to the EIGHTEEN Charter Revision  Referendum questions.  I suggest a personal cheat sheet to make the time spent coloring the little circle shorter.  I have attempted  to make my explanations of the 18 questions short and simple and easy to answer with a yes or no. Please read the three page double sided official City of Norwich Explanatory Text for Charter Revision Questions for November 3, 2015 Referendum available at City Hall, NPU, Otis Library and the Senior Center.

Ballot Question #1  Should the term of the Registrars of Voters be increased from two years to four years?  Yes or No

Ballot Question #2  Should the Charter be changed to read that the Mayor has the option of attending or not attending all State, regional, and national conferences for Mayors?  Yes or No

Ballot Question #3  Change the  Charter to read the Mayor will be an “ex-officio”  non-voting member of all commissions and committees rather than a “ex-officio” voting member of all committees and commissions created by the City of Norwich?  Yes or No

Ballot Question #4  Change the minimum capital budget tax levy to be no less than 2% of the previous year’s  General Fund expenditure budget? Yes or No

Ballot Question #5  Eliminate the need for an individual bank account for the Capital Improvement Fund because the current accounting software can track the revenues and expenditures for different funds.  Yes or No

Ballot Question #6  Remove the City Charter terms and conditions for the issuance of bonds and notes and accept and use the terms and conditions  to the issuance of bonds and notes provided in the Connecticut General Statutes.  Yes or No

Ballot Question #7  Exclude from the $800,000 referendum threshold those utility projects (water, sewer, natural gas, electric) financed with general obligation bonds the City has entered into an alternative payment agreement from the revenue of the  selected utility.  Yes or No

Ballot Question #8  Retain the requirement that the City Comptroller submit financial information from the previous month to the City Manager and City Council without the timing requirement of the information being due at the ”first regular City Council  meeting in each month.” Yes or No

Ballot Question #9  Eliminate the provision allowing for a 2% discount on property taxes for taxpayers who pay both installments by August 1st . Yes or No

Ballot Question #10 Match the State of Connecticut Public Act No 14-71 allowing the municipality to increase its competitive bidding from $12,000 to $25,000. Yes or No

Ballot Question #11  Correct a typographical error changing the word “reserved” to the correct word “preserved?”  Yes or No

Ballot Question #12  Allow the City to make approved payments by any commercially acceptable method, including, but not limited to, checks. Yes or No

Ballot Question #13  Make the Department of Public Works responsible for providing the heat, light, and janitorial care for all city-owned properties including the police department. Yes or No

Ballot Question #14 Remove the responsibility of street lighting and house numbering from the department of Public Works.  Yes or No

Ballot Question #15 Eliminate the requirement the Director  of Public Works obtain the advice of other officers and employees before appointing or removing officers and employees of the Public Works Department.  Yes or No

Ballot Question #16 The City Engineer will have custody of all City maps unless specifically entrusted to other officials by the Chief  Executive Officer of the City. Yes or No

Ballot Question #17 The Chief Executive Officer of the City, acting through the Director of Public Works, shall have the power and duty of carrying out and administering all cemetery trusts and to care for and maintain all cemetery properties under the control of the city. Yes or No

Ballot Question #18 Allow the Public Utilities Commissioners to approve certain NPU leases, contracts and agreements up to and not more than 25 years. Yes or No

Read the full explanations and please do not skip voting on these issues. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com

View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs01?taxid=1172

 

Industrious Norwich?

Discussion of economics and income is nothing new to the Norwich area. Although the amounts of the wealth in the area do seem to differ tremendously from those that have wealth, those who do not have wealth and those that are making the claims of bringing the wealth to the coffers of Norwich.

I keep trying but I am just not seeing all this wealth being brought in to Norwich. So long as I must go to other towns to do my shopping for clothes and entertainments, the wealth is not here. So long as so many of us must earn our living in another town, the wealth is not here. So long as my taxes rise while the services go down, the wealth is not here. So long as the costs of my utilities rise while the services reduce, the wealth is not here. So long as the costs of the education of the students in the Norwich schools continues to rise but the services and educational options are not rising, the wealth is not here. So long as there is room for elitism in the community, while residents are choosing between food, medicine and heat, the wealth is not here.

When the seats are empty at the Norwich City Council meetings because there is fear to speak up about an issue, the wealth is not here. When the members of the City Council do not have public discussions on issues, the wealth is not here. When the City budget distributes more to outside consultants, as private business than it does to its departments and employees, the wealth is not here.

This rant began when I read in The Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 6, Number 47, 20 May 1876 a quote from the Norwich Bulletin of the same time period.

An exchange asks: “What are young men doing?” We can’t answer for the rest of the country, but around here they are engaged mainly in trying to lead a nine dollar existence on a seven dollar salary.

Over 139 years later, Norwich residents are still engaged in the same existence. If all this money and industry  is being brought into Norwich, don’t you think we would be seeing a change by now? The building and filling of retail spaces and not more condo’s and rentals? The waiting would be over for the fixing ups and the doing overs. The taxes would not need to be raised so the level of services could remain the same. If all the money and industry claimed was being brought into Norwich, the tax paying residents could have at least a short rest from the costs of living increases.   

Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com.

Hydrant Painting in Norwich

A few weeks ago I attended yet another meeting about the future of Norwich. The Mayor and NCDC invited the Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition to moderate a lunchtime brown bag to discuss making the arts an economic driver of Norwich.

As you can imagine it was the same faces sitting around the arranged tables. The usual paper pad was brought out with a magic marker and everyone was asked “What are the problems that Norwich is facing” and the usual answers were given almost by rote. Then the assembled were asked “What are the strengths of Norwich?”  And again the answers were given almost by rote. What I am getting at is the same old questions were being asked and given the same old answers. OK so there was one new suggestion to light up events downtown with crime scene lighting so there would be fewer scary shadowy places for evil to lurk during public events. One other important event happened. Everyone attending was asked to give their name and the organization or reason they were there. Norwich Fire Chief Kenneth J. Scandariato  was there on his lunch hour because he likes the arts.

I passed Chief Scandariato (a native of Rhode Island) a very brief note outlining a project I had tried to bring to Norwich in the 1980’s and had been soundly rebuffed but I still have the presentation if he had time in his schedule to review it. On February 19th 2015 I received a phone call from Chief Scandariato that caused the tears to flow. I didn’t need to show him the presentation. He was from Rhode Island and familiar with the painted fire hydrants of Warren, Rhode Island. He had even checked with the Norwich Department of Public Utilities that own the hydrants that they were ok with it. Chief Scandariato just asked that they be kept in the loop as to what hydrants would be painted and when and that the movable parts remain movable should the hydrant be needed.

This spring as we recover from a very snowy winter please look around your neighborhood and note the locations of the fire hydrants in your neighborhood. Look at your fire hydrants from all angles and what it reminds you of. What fits into your neighborhood? Is there a theme to your neighborhood? Warren RI painted their hydrants for Americas Bicentennial in 1976. Our hydrants can copy their themes of colonial period or we can copy the hydrants of other cities, cartoons or anything your imagination  can see.

Painted hydrants becomes an economic driver when people want to see the fire hydrants and stop for lunch, or shopping, or to participate in any other activities of your neighborhood or city. It’s a great way for your group or organization to demonstrate commitment to an area of its choosing. Now do we know any artists interested in doing the actual painting? Not all of us have been blessed with artistic talent but there might be sponsors for those that are. Lets get started and don’t hesitate to call me for more information or to become a part of this project.

Email your comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com         

Thank you NDPU

Thank you Norwich Department of Public Utilities! For two years I have been reporting the finding of dead birds at the base of telephone in front of my house. We knew that somewhere on the electric line there was a short. The resulting charge was just strong enough to kill the birds sitting on the wire. My neighbors and I moved the bird feeders and the bird baths. We trimmed trees and bushes. But still the birds were found at the base and I would bury them in my garden.

A few weeks ago I found the body of a squirrel and a bird at the same time.  That was more than I could stand. I sent a very pointed and mean e-mail to the Department of Public Utilities demanding they do something. I even attached photos of the bodies and the pole number. I received a very calm e-mail the next morning saying they would be out in the morning to take care of the bodies and see how the problem could be corrected.

Within the month a new taller pole was installed next to the old pole and the transformer is now further away from the wires and so far, so good. No bodies at the base of the pole.

Thank you Norwich Department of Public Utilities for taking action. The temperature is dropping and I will once more be able to enjoy watching the birds feed and flutter on my front lawn.  

Comments on this blog should be emailed to berylfishbone@yahoo.com  

Norwich Harbor Water Trail brochure

Yahoo it has arrived! The Norwich Harbor Management Commission publication and distribution of its first ever NORWICH HARBOR WATER TRAIL ON THE THAMES, YANTIC AND SHETUCKET RIVERS brochure.

It’s got a wonderful aerial photo of the Yantic River, downstream of the Falls on its cover fold.  The brochure does not contain navigation information because the water paths are very subject to change in the area. I asked a friend who is an experienced outside person and he said that was a very safe thing to do so the brochure could have a long life span and then he asked to see the maps and charts.  Maybe those will be coming out next? Anyway, the brochure does have a colorful map for reference only.

A reference that canoe and kayak journeys can begin and end at Brown Park and a sentence about the three rivers that feed into the Thames River and website references to learn more about those waterways. I thought Norwich had more places to launch but I guess I was wrong. There is a lengthy dissertation on the Watershed  of the Thames and the usual  homage to settling of Norwich history.

One fold is entirely dedicated to the Fish of the Harbor. Sadly I learned that manufacturing in the 1800’s blocked the spawning runs of shad, alewife and other native species and so eliminated them entirely from their native habitat. A fish lift was built in 1996 and continued stocking is restoring anadromous (ascending rivers from the sea for breeding) fish to their natural habitat providing recreational, economic and environmental benefits.  American Shad and Striped Bass are shown with a note saying how any caught were likely spawned in the Hudson River. The 315 mile Hudson River is mostly in eastern New York State. There was no mention of the visiting otter from last year that entertained some of us on the Public Utilities website page.

The back fold gives directions to Brown Park, and multiple warnings about tidal conditions, and paddling safe and smart and then a paragraph on the writers, contributors and funding sources for the brochure.

Congratulations to the Norwich Harbor Management Commission, Geoffrey Steadman, Keith Placko, Long Island Sound Study, Long Island Sound Futures Fund, Pamela Ballard, Paul Singer Design, Michael Longfellow, and the Last Green Valley.

Yesterdays Later Is Now

Is anyone else feeling tired of being threatened and bullied by the leaders of the City of Norwich? If you don’t put more money toward (please fill in the project of the moment) we are going to have to a) close it b) reduce hours c) find a different source for the money d) it’s a mandate and while we ask you, you really have no option but to say yes.

The latest thing is the Ice Skating Rink. If we (the taxpayers) don’t hand over another million dollars it will have to close and we will have no chance of ever seeing the money we have already invested ever again. It’s the “another million dollars” that I am having problems with and why, oh why, do I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach there is going to be an $800,000 solution in the offing? A solution that will not need to be explained to the taxpayers.

The School Board just puts in an increased budget saying everything has gone up so we must increase our budget to keep pace.  Everybody deserves a raise who works for the city because the price of groceries and gas has gone up and is there really a person working for the city who does not do an outstanding job in whatever their circumstances are?

My property was just appraised for less so that the tax rate can be raised so I can pay more on less to keep the coffers of the city solvent. I pay $600’s in annual customer fees to the private corporation of the Norwich Public Utilities so they can turn a portion of it over to the City towards another private corporation while I just get to pay the higher costs and fees with no tax credits for my contribution.

Enough with the hidden fees and the magnanimous donations that the payers receive no thank you for. It is time for the bullying and the fee charging so someone else can get the credit for the donation to stop. It is time for the taxpayers to get the credit for all that they contribute. Now. Is a really good time to start. Now, is yesterdays later.

Short of funds, Add a tax

I attended the hearing on electricity rates held in Norwich to support a friend who is a customer of CL&P. This caused me to look at my own bill from the Norwich Department of Public Utilities. I learned that I pay four individual charges to be one of their customers.

In my case, I am paying them annually $572.76 to be their customer. Then they, in turn, magnanimously turn a portion of that over to the City of Norwich. At least for the taxes I pay to the City, State and federal governments I get a deduction. For what I pay to the NPU, I don’t even get a membership card or a discount. I am lucky enough though to be able to be charged for two trackers. One is a Gas Capital Tracker and the other an Electric Capital Tracker. I pay for water coming into my house as well as for water going out and a mandatory sewer upgrade charge as well. I also contribute to the Energy Efficiency fund above paying for the purchased power adjustment and for what I actually used.

Now I just heard that the City Council will be considering a city wide fire tax that would be a fair thing to spread over the city as a whole but maybe it is time that we as a city looked at all of the individual fees, charges, and taxes and examined how they are being collected and distributed.

Running short of funds is not a new problem but adding to the burdens of the taxpayers without looking at other solutions is not a demonstration of good planning and leadership. Let’s look at the finances of the city and yes, even those funds we depend on other departments and companies to collect for the city. Let’s take this opportunity to look at how city funds are collected and distributed. Maybe its time for a change.