Editor’s note: Milford Borough Mayor Sean Strub gave the following testimony at the Feb. 8 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission public hearing on Pike County Light & Power’s request to increase natural gas bills by 17.3% and electric bills by 19.7%. Please see last week’s story “Residents and officials object to ‘sharp and sudden’ utility increases” at pikecountycourier.com.
I appreciate the informed technical, regulatory and policy comments from Mr. Gillinder as well as the thoughtful comments from Council President Tarquinio and others.
My comment is more of an emotional appeal, on behalf of already-struggling residents, especially those living on fixed incomes, and small business owners in Milford Borough. The proposed increases are excessive, untimely and for some small businesses could be devastating. For some seniors on fixed incomes, it could force them to make difficult decisions between paying for groceries or medicine or their electric bill.
We don’t have factories or major private sector employers in Milford Borough. Our commercial district is comprised of small businesses, owner-operated Mom & Pop shops and independent contractors. Many have been profoundly hurt by the pandemic.
The average age in Milford Borough is older than any other municipality in Pike County; a large percentage of our residents live on fixed incomes.
When their utility bill goes up, it has a direct bearing on their peace of mind, quality of life and ability to cover other necessities.
Our Milford Covid Relief Fund, created by community volunteers last spring, has been helpful in providing some support to those who work or live in Milford Borough, as well as our small businesses. We have at times provided direct support for payment of rent or utilities for businesses that are particularly fragile and whose continued operation is seriously threatened. That’s how close to the edge some of our businesses are.
When I circulated an email encouraging others to register to speak today, one of the business owners responded: “*who will run the shop if I’m on that call*”. I think that is important to understand; those most damaged by these increases are also likely to be those least able to participate in this hearing process. That’s why it is so important that those on the Public Utility Commission, charged with the responsibility to protect our interests, understand how damaging this increase will be.
When Corning Gas bought Pike County Light & Power a few years ago, we were promised an improvement in service, as well as a continuation of a level of support for community organizations and events Pike County Light & Power had long sponsored.
We appreciate Steve Grandinali’s leadership in Pike County Light & Power’s local office. He is responsive to the Borough’s queries and we believe he does the best job he can, but is limited by the resources the company makes available. We were disappointed when the company cut back its support for our community organizations.
To approve even half of the increase requested would send a discouraging message from the Public Utility Commission to residents and small businesses in Pike County Light & Power Company’s service area that are already “on the edge”.
Councilmember Dooley raises an important point about the increase in business Pike County Light & Power has enjoyed, arising from the pandemic.
Pike County has the highest percentage of seasonal/weekend homes of any of 20 counties in Eastern Pennsylvania; many are now occupied year-round, resulting in more business for Pike County Light & Power. The pandemic has brought them a windfall in new business.
Mr. Dooley, referring to service outages, noted the preponderance of homes with generators in Milford Borough and I agree with him; I’ve never seen a community with so many homes requiring generators to ensure a continuity of service.
Pike County Light & Power is a little teeny tiny utility company and it feels like we, as its customers, get battered around solely for the purpose of enhancing profits for absent or anonymous owners.
It is time for the priorities of our community, especially during this awful period of the pandemic, be prioritized above the private equity group, hedge fund, conglomerate or whomever is behind the purchase of Corning Gas.
Thank you.
Mayor Sean Strub
Milford