8/8/2019 Blumenthal Letter 100610

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Q l i t y o f An soniaOFFICE OF THE MAYOR

CITY HALL

253 MAIN STREET

ANSONIA. CONNECTICUT 06401

James Della Volpe

Mayor

Office: (203) 736-5900

Fax: (203) 734-3853E-mail: jdellavolpe@cityoransonia.com

October 6,2010

Attorney General Blumenthal

55 Elm Street

Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Attorney General Blumenthal

On behalf of the residents of Ansonia, we are sending you this enclosed petition which is also beingsubmitted to DPUC Vice Chairman Jack Betkowski.

If you look through this list closely, you will note that it is signed, not only by Mayor Della Volpe,

President of the Board of Aldermen Stephen Blume and members of the Board of Aldermen, but

also by a number of good, hard-working residents. These people struggle each day to pay their bills

and don't need an additional burden of unfair charges reflected in municipal services or tax

mcreases.

The approval of the sale of the Birmingham Utilities' assets and service territory to the South Central

Regional Water Authority (RWA) resulted in an unfair situation for the people of Ansonia and its

volunteer fire department.

Ansonia has lost its ability to seek redress on water utility matters from the Department of Public

Utility Control and now has three (3) voting members on the 118 voting member RWA board. This

is unfair to the residents of Ansonia.

Additionally, the city of Ansonia is now paying $600,000.00 annually to the RWA for fire service

protection. This is more than double what New Haven, a city with more than five (5) times the

population of Ansonia, pays to the RWA for the same service.

The entire budget for the Ansonia volunteer fire department is approximately $245,850.00 annually.

As you can see, the exorbitant costs being paid to the RWA impacts the ability of the city to providethe very best fire service.

The insider dealing by the former Birmingham Utilities Board of Directors was clearly designed to

enhance the profits of board members at the expense ofthe people of their service territory,

including Ansonia, which the company had served for generations. The Board's conduct and actions

merit your most serious investigation.

8/8/2019 Blumenthal Letter 100610

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This addresses several items:

1. This petition requests that the Attorney General Blumenthal and the DPUC open proceedings

to investigate the unfair transactions between the former Birmingham Utilities Board of

Directors and the South Central Regional Water Authority.

2. We also ask that DPUC and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal release the names of

Birmingham stockholders and their personal profits received from these transactions.

We anticipate your cooperation in this matter.

t2~2~+1~~~s Della VolpeMayor City of Ansonia