Qlity of Ansonia

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

CITY HALL
253 MAIN STREET
ANSONIA. CONNECTICUT 06401

James Della Volpe Office: (203) 736-5900

Mayor Fax: (203) 734-3853
E-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 being
submitted 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 RW A 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 provide
the 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.
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 Volpe
Mayor City of Ansonia