City Councilor Mike Rimcoski said today that the city is owed at least $380,000 from Connecticut Light & Power for mistakes in past streetlighting bills.
"We feel we've got hard case evidence" to prove it, Rimcoski said, and officials intend to fight for every penny.
Rimcoski said the City Council tonight is likely to set a 45-day window to finish searching for past errors before taking the case to higher authorities.
Rimcoski said the utility, which offered the city about $86,000 a year and a half ago, will almost certainly fight the claim. Dozens of other municipalities are also challenging CL&P's figures.
Rimcoski said that the city is working closely with Municipal Energy, a consulting firm hired last year to help squeeze more money from CL&P.
Councilors are expected to approve the effort to get more cash for old mistakes in billing for lights that didn't exist.
The city shells out about $800,000 annually to the power company, Rimcoski said.
Rimcoski said the city has the records to prove its case.
He said that if CL&P doesn't pay up, the city will ask for assistance from Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and from the state Department of Utility Control.
"We're holding our ground," Rimcoski said.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
36 comments:
Guess all those who said Johnson wasn't doing his job didn't know what they where talking about!
Great Job Johnson
How many years did it take him and how many times did he drop the effort to pursue other things?
Rimcoski is pushing this, not Johnson. And last I knew, Johnson didn't even own the company anymore.
Speaking of CL & P and I am not sure of this is the right thread to ask this, but has anyone ever asked about or thought about, having some sort of wind farm in Bristol? the Roberts property would be a great location for that...Or am I thinking crazy?
Didn't Johnson suggest the City was probably owed close to $800,000?
3:41pm - doesn't take a lot of effort to make ken johnson look that way - he usually succeeeds in doing it to himself and to anyone else who he can nail - such as us taxpayers, for $10,000.
$10,000 to get in excess of $382,000?
Who is the idiot?
I know it will be difficult, but give credit where credit is due. Johnson did his job very well.
Why do you think no one on the democratic side was pushing this on the council level? These numbers didn't just suddenly drop out of no where. They were perfectly content with letting Johnson be bashed as long as possible. Well, the cat is out of the bag now. Maybe this explains why Johnson had his temper tantrum as dems like to refer to it as. Maybe he was frustrated at being cut out at the knees knowing full well that he was making excellent progress.
Great job Ken!
Way to put Bristol First, just like you campaigned on.
Maybe if Kenny Boy did a thorough and complete search we could get to $800,000 but he wants the folks in City Hall to do all the work so that he can get a percentage of the fee. So he's willing to settle here.
As Harry Hershman used to say, "tis sad".
having some sort of wind farm in Bristol
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The Bristol Center Mall would also make a good location , considering what is just across the street . ;-)
Johnson's former firm is doing their job and obviously has been. This is in spite of hacks from the Dumb-o-crat Party (apparently not including Ward specifically) and Bill "the donkey" Stortz. Hey Bill hope the door didn't hit you too hard in the rear exiting city hall. Good riddance!
Are you all forgetting the sweetheart $25,000.00 NO BID deal that Johnson got in ousting the Bugryns?
He can, and you can, thank Johnson's group of "good old boys" of Nicastro, Russo and Rosenthal who made or let it happen.
What the hell is Rimcoski doing making this announcment? I guess after badmouthing Municipal Energy for so long he thought if he made the announcement he might be perceived as a supportive councilman regarding this issue. I hope people see through this. Rimcoski is a dope and he has to go! He votes no on everything unless the mayor tells him to do otherwise and he was Stortz lacky. I can't wait for new blood.
Ken Johnson for Mayor!
$380,000? That's a bigger dent to our budget that our current Mayor could get. Great job Ken!
I guess the naysayers will be out in force on this one too. Regardless, if Rimcocki and the rest of the council had leant support sooner, I wonder if the refund would have already been higher.
The Atty. General and DPUC have alredy ruled on this.
Basically it is case closed.
And we got had.
The story hasn't changed since Couture was mayor, under Stortz, and now under Ward.
As the saying goes, "Show me the money".
Don't you recall Atty Lacey saying that the contract that Johnson signed required that his company do the research, not the city of Bristol?
Thats the rub, but now Kenny will blame the city and laugh all the way to the bank.
Poor Ken Johnson. He better hope Ellen Zoppo comes back from wherever the heck she dissappeared to so she can take some of the bashing going on off his back.
What has changed from 2 years ago when Stortz gave him 10 grand to do the job? Did he get the records that he claims Stortz wouldn't give him or is he still working off the information he had 2 years ago and did nothing with? I thought that the City couldn't give him the manpower to help him research the amount that is owed the City?
So, what has changed besides the fact that we went from $800K to not even half that?
johnson and enron, you figure
Johnson deserves the bashing, Ellen didn't!
Ken deserves no credit for recovering and money for the city. He sold his share of the company during his bid for mayor. Ken has ripped off this city not once but twice. The only thing to do is just shake your head and vote for the canidates that are bst for Bristol.
"Maybe this explains why Johnson had his temper tantrum"
Sorry, but there's absolutely no excuse for that kind of childish behavior. Leadership requires a much stronger character. When problems arise, we need someone who will roll up his sleeves and get down to business, not someone who'll throw a hissy fit, storm out and slam the door behind him.
10:23
It wasn't information that he wasn't getting or being made available to Kenny, but the staff to do all the research of that information.
That was clearly his obligation as the City Atty pointed out, but Johnson knew that the city wouldn't be getting anything and he was/is too lazy to do the work.
His temper tantrum was the result of his not being reappointed to the Water Board and being bounced by Ordinance for missing too many meetings.
He thought his friends Ward, McCauley and Minor would carry the day.
Looks like Johnson thinks he is a city employee already: gets paid, but doesn't plan on doing the work.
Ken Johnson is the best thing that Art Ward has going for him.
How many busineses does Johnson run out of his house?
Does he have anyone working for him?
Johnson! Johnson! Johnson!
Johnson for Mayor!
Obviously, most of you don't know what you're talking about. You're just sniping at Johnson for political reasons and it isn't attractive. You're arguments are even more pathetic.
I don't believe Johnson ever mentioned $800,000. I, for one, would be glad to see the city prevail.
For Johnson to do all the research at city hall would require him to use CITY computers; didn't we have enough problems with Donna working from HOME on a program for the Building Department? If you're going to complain, at least make some sense.
The city never cashed the check from CL&P and has the ability to dispute the findings and proceed accordingly, as are other towns. So don't say that DPUC has already ruled on this issue, because they haven't and can't until Bristol moves in the proper venue.
10:58
Ever hear of lap tops?
Even so, why did Johnson agree to a contract that stated that the city would not provide clerical assissatnce?
That was clearly stated by the City Attorney at a Council meeting.
"Johnson! Johnson! Johnson!
Johnson for Mayor!"
Sounds good to me - that'll cinch Mayor Ward's reelection!!
DPUC DID rule, that ruling is being challenged.
Mr. Building Inspector:
Did you see the 7:24 post?
Wow listen to Stortz on this blog..all from a guy who has had two failed administrations.
Johnson for Mayor!
"Johnson for Mayor!"
This message brought to you by the Democratic Town Committee.
9:00am - nothing new, that part of the democratic party has been out of touch with reality for quite a bit.
But they continue to elect their people, which is more than can be said of the RTC!
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