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Monday, August 29, 2011

Brooke: Gehring, Roundup may face legal action

(Editor's note: The following is Robert Hardcastle's response to the complaint filed with the Arizona Corporation Commission by Mesa del Caballo resident Steve Gehring.  Hardcastle is President of Brooke Utilities/Payson Water Company.  The Payson Roundup gave prominent front page placement to Gehring's complaint while deferrng coverage of a positive meeting between Hardcastle, Salt River Project and Mesa del residents on the subject of Blue Ridge/Cragin water.  Scroll down to a Gazette Blog editorial on the subject.)

"Complainant (Steve Gehring) alleges the Company (Brooke Utilities) committed fraud in charging its customers water augmentation costs. The Company vehemently denies the absurd allegations of the Complaint. Complainant has a long history of making irrational and libelous complaints that date back to before Payson Water Co.’s ownership of the MdC (Mesa del Caballo) water system and not complying with orders and agreements of the Commission. By means of the Complaint, Complainant has defamed and libeled the Company and its officers. Water augmentation charges are a cost reimbursement mechanism only, and are reviewed by the Arizona Corporation Commission. This Complaint has no merit and should be dismissed. The Company will allow the Complainant until 5:00 p.m. on September 2, 2011 to apologize to the Company and dismiss the subject Complaint or, otherwise, the Company will direct its legal resources to seek all legal remedies available to it against the Complainant and the parties connected with publishing the newspaper story of August 26, 2011. In the event Complainant chooses not to withdraw his complaint and the matter is not dismissed as requested herein, the Company shall not participate in any further proceedings. The Commission is not the proper forum for Mr. Gehring's baseless complaints, which represents an abuse of the administrative process that drains time and resources not only of the company, but of the Commission as well."

2 comments:

Noble said...

Let's hope a copy of this has been sent to the Roundup.

Anonymous said...

I hope the Mayor of Payson is not involved with this. 2 weeks before public comment, and after a public meeting, on the Cragin Pipeline a "new" alternative water treatment plant location was planned next to Mesa Del. Mesa Del residents were upset. Now, a few weeks away from the public appeal period of this same project, everyones water rate has tripled or more. Coincidence?