This story ran on nwitimes.com on Saturday, October 22, 2005 12:43 AM CDT
City reacts to utility decision
BY ALLISON FASHEKCROWN POINT | City officials reacted Friday to news that state regulators had rejected a NIPSCO proposal to close a Crown Point service hub.
Mayor Dan Klein said he wasn't disappointed with the decision but hopes the city's facility is still able to increase its number of first responders.
"Ultimately, those are the people that are going to get to the problem, assess it and evaluate it," he said.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission refused NIPSCO's request to reopen its case this week, in which it was fighting to close five service hubs in the region. The commission also said it couldn't consider a settlement between NIPSCO and the city that would have allowed NIPSCO to downsize here. The settlement was submitted after Aug. 10, when the commission issued a final order requiring NIPSCO to keep all 12 of its service hubs open and fully staffed.
The settlement between the city and utility called for the closing of the NIPSCO maintenance hub in the city's center and transferring a reduced staff to the Liberty Park substation. Total staffing in the city would have dropped from 38 to 25 workers, eight of whom would be home-based NIPSCO service workers at areas in the Crown Point service area. Nine of the support workers transferred elsewhere still would be available to Crown Point. The agreement also would have added three home-based electric and gas service workers.
City Councilman Bob Corbin, R-5th, argued the agreement achieved what the city wanted, both keeping a Crown Point facility open and increasing first responder staff.
As part of the settlement, Crown Point and NIPSCO also were planning to establish a Community Service Response and Quality Committee made up of NIPSCO employees and Klein appointments. The group was to hold quarterly public meetings to address service issues.
Klein and Wolter said they hope the committee stays intact but weren't sure about its future.
"There's no obligation on NIPSCO's part," Wolter said.
As for the next step, City Attorney Rich Wolter said Friday he didn't know if there is one. Wolter said it's up to NIPSCO to object to the order from the regulatory commission and take it to court for an appeal.
Klein said Friday he hadn't spoken to any NIPSCO officials yet, but he will soon.