Pascoag Utility District and the Harrisville Fire District – Water Department are pleased to announce that they have been engaged in serious discussions about merging and creating a new entity that would cover electric and water distribution services in a significant portion of Burrillville. The new entity would own and operate the current electric distribution system in Pascoag and Harrisville, and likewise upon completion of the merger, would also own and operate the water production and distribution system in the villages of Harrisville, Pascoag and Oakland in Burrillville.
This proposed merger makes sense in the increasingly complex world that water systems live in today for regulatory compliance, through gains in efficiency of operations and in exploration of new water resources that would help provide water rate stability and benefits to all its members/customers.
To complete this merger, the following will need to occur;
• The subcommittee from the two entities will continue to meet and work through details of the merger
• The full boards of each entity will need to vote in favor of the merger
• Customer/members of each entity will then need to vote in favor of the merger at special meetings of each entity
• A new Charter would be created to be voted on by the Rhode Island General Assembly. Such charter would separate the Harrisville fire and water assets while at the same time creating the new entity that would contain all utility assets of the new combined water and electric district.
• A new 7-member Board of utility commissioners would be created by populating the initial board with 3 commissioners from each existing board and a 7th commissioner to be voted on by the new and expanded customer/member base. Thereafter, all expiring terms of the commissioners would be voted on by the new and expanded customer/member base.
• It is anticipated that the new entity would begin operations sometime after all the preceding items above are voted affirmatively.
• The charter would include a new name for the entity, possibly one that symbolizes the area of northwestern Rhode Island where we serve so proudly.
We are excited about announcing this potential merger, one that would bring together two great districts that have worked so closely and cooperatively together all these years.
Feel free to direct any questions you have to Mike Kirkwood at 401-568-2459.
Albert Palmisciano Brayton Round, II
Chairman, Pascoag Utility District Chairman, Harrisville Fire District Operating Committee