Norwich utilities commission left short-handed for now
Board postpones discussion on recommendations
Norwich — With barely enough members to form a quorum, and needing telephone participation to reach that number Tuesday, the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners postponed a discussion on the Ethics Commission recommendations in the wake of the Kentucky Derby controversy that has left the board short-handed.
Former Chairwoman Dee Boisclair and Vice Chairman Robert Groner resigned May 1, as the City Council was preparing to launch an internal investigation into their participation in the all-expense-paid May 2016 Kentucky Derby trip hosted by the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative.
Tuesday was the first utilities commission meeting since the departures. All three remaining members would have to attend for a legal meeting, and member Steve Becker participated Tuesday by telephone, telling his colleagues he was only available for about 45 minutes.
The group appointed member Grace Jones as chairwoman pro tempore, approved key resolutions to move forward on a $19.9 million water system upgrade and expansion and to design a separation system for a combined stormwater-sewer main on the East Side.
But after hearing financial reports and an update on plans to upgrade the utility’s online billing system, Jones announced that the commission would adjourn and take up the Ethics Commission report when the group has its full complement and can elect officers.
City Council President Pro Tempore Peter Nystrom, chairman of the council’s Appointments Subcommittee, said the three-member committee interviewed nine applicants Monday for the two utilities commission positions and plans to make a recommendation for the June 5 City Council meeting.
“We had some really good people,” Nystrom said. “I was very impressed with the caliber of people. Some of them really brought out different lines of questions. Some not fully aware of the issues. Others weren’t before, but they are now.”
At the start of Tuesday’s utilities commission meeting, Jones praised Boisclair and Groner for their many years of service on the utilities commission and said she would miss their expertise and experience. With three years of experience on the commission, Jones is now the veteran member. She suggested once the new members are appointed, the commission hold a workshop in September to review the many complex components of NPU’s electric, water, natural gas and sewer systems.
The Ethics Commission on Feb. 13 found that Boisclair, Groner, Norwich Public Utilities General Manager John Bilda, NPU Division Manager Steve Sinko and Mayor Deberey Hinchey violated the city’s ethics code for their participation in the Kentucky Derby trip.
The Ethics Commission did not recommend the two board leaders resign entirely, but said they should not be reappointed to their leadership positions, and should be removed as NPU representatives on the CMEEC board of directors.
The Ethics Commission also recommended they reimburse the city for 25 percent of the value of the trips for themselves and their spouses — the amount estimated that would have gone into Norwich’s rate stabilization fund. The City Council later voted that all five trip participants should pay the city for 100 percent of the calculated value of their trips.