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FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
Monday, March 3, 2014
The FCJ reaches over 13,000 household each week.
Minnesota Energy Resource Coorporation (MERC) rate increases By Karen Reisner A request was made by a Fillmore County Journal reader to look into the “customer charge” and “per unit charge” increases requested by MERC last fall. MERC has many local natural gas customers in Rochester and surrounding cities. MERC, a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, filed a request with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase its natural gas rates by 5.52 percent overall or an increase of $14,187,597 in gross revenues on September 30, 2013. MERC has requested three rate increases since 2008, the last rate increase was three years ago. My understanding is that the requested increase is not an increase in the base natural gas charge, but an increase in the retail natural gas rates which includes the wholesale cost of natural gas. For example, the rate increase for an average
residential customer is expected to go from $8.50 to $11 per month, which taken by itself is greater than a 5.2 percent increase, but not when the whole bill is taken into account including the wholesale cost of natural gas. The Minnesota PUC is tasked with regulating public utilities. A piece of their regulatory duties includes investigation into requested rate changes by large natural gas companies like MERC, which is the third largest distributor of natural gas in Minnesota. In a press release the company called the requested increase modest and said it was to raise revenue to cover added costs due to “general inflation, property taxes, improvements to customer service programs, efforts to expand the customer base...and operations/maintenance projects to ensure reliability and safety for custom-
ers.” The company suggests they are experiencing increased costs due “to increased costs related to customer service functions and conservation programs.” MERC expects that even with the rate increase residential customers will be paying less for natural gas than they did six years ago because the wholesale price of natural gas is considerably lower now than it was then. MERC raises revenue to pay for the distribution of natural gas including infrastructure through the monthly customer charge, the per unit distribution charge, and the demand charge, if applicable. The wholesale price of natural gas is passed on to the customer directly “without adding a penny to the price.” The company’s revenue stream comes from these service charges to deliver natural gas and not from a mark up of the wholesale price of natural gas.
If the permanent rate changes are approved by the PUC, monthly bills will vary depending on the wholesale price of natural gas. Late in November the PUC ordered MERC to include a customer notice in all bills about the interim rate increase. These rates, which went into effect on January 1, will be in effect until October, 2014, when the PUC hands down its decision on the requested authority for the permanent rate increase. “The overall interim rate increase is $10,526,156 or an average of 4.09 percent over current rates including the cost of gas.” If the permanent rates are set lower than the interim rate, customers will be refunded the difference with interest. If they are set higher than the interim rate, customers will not be responsible for the difference. The interim or temporary increase according to MERC
Yes, spring is coming!
Fillmore County District Court
By Jerrold Tesmer, Extension Educator for Fillmore/Houston Counties We each have our own markers, in my case; I’ve received messages about corn silage test plots, and black cutworm pheromone trapping. Before we get Jerrold Tesmer too excited about spring, we have one more event for farmers that will be of interest. There will be a “Forages for “U” workshop, on Thursday, March 27, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. in St. Charles at the City Hall. Key forage production and management issues for Minnesota will be addressed. This program is developed by the
Nicole Renee Mills, 35, of Harmony, Minn. appeared in Fillmore County Court on February 19, 2014 for sentencing for one count Fleeing a Peace Officer in a Motor Vehicle. Mills was given a stay of imposition with the conditions of pay fine, fees, and restitution totaling $4,065. Mills was sentenced to 27 days in the Fillmore County Jail with credit for time served of 27 days. Mills will be under supervised probation for three years with the conditions of remain law-abiding, no same or similar, aftercare, no alcohol or controlled substance use, no possession of alcohol or drugs, do not enter bars or liquor stores, random testing, submit to random searches, no contact with victim(s), no contact with persons associated with illegal drugs, or known felons, no assault, no use or possession of firearms or dangerous weapons, supply DNA sample, advise agent prior to changing employment and/or residence, take medications in the prescribed dosage and frequency, no contact with co-defendant(s), Dexter Eiken, pay restitution, complete treatment, write letter of apology within 10 days. Tyler Byron Michael Ryant, 19, of Spring Grove, Minn. appeared in Fillmore County Court on February 24, 2014 for sentencing of one count Burglary - 3rd Degree - Steal/Commit Felony or Gross Misdemeanor. Ryant was given a stay of imposition ordering him to 30 days in the Fillmore County Jail, 40 hours of community work service and placing him under supervised probation for four years. Probation conditions include no same or similar, pay restitution, complete cognitive thinking skills program, no possession of alcohol or mood altering substances, do not enter premises of establishments primarily serving alcohol, maintain employment, write letter of apology, submit
University of Minnesota Extension and is aimed at current issues and research in forage production and management with the intent to increase producers’ forage production and farm profitability. Past participants expressed that they have benefited from the useful, research based, and timely information the University of Minnesota Extension brings to these meetings and the open discussion format designed to encourage audience participation. This program targets crop management information for producers and Ag professionals. Pre-registration is preferred by March 14. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with the program dismissing at 3 p.m. Program agendas can be mailed or emailed upon request. For more information contact Jake Overgaard at 507457-6440 or over0128@umn.edu
DNA sample, submit to random searches, no contact with anyone known to be involved with sale use or distribution of controlled substances, do not engage in assaultive, aggressive, threatening, or intimidating behavior, no possession of firearms or dangerous weapons. Jeremiah Duane Siewert, 32, of St. Charles, Minn. appeared in Fillmore County Court on February 24, 2014 for sentencing for one count Harassment; Restraining Order - Violate within 10 years of first of two previous domestic violence convictions/adjudications. Siewert was sentenced to 24 months in a Minnesota Correctional Facility, which was stayed for five years. Siewert was placed under supervised probation for five years with the conditions of no same or similar, complete domestic violence treatment, follow recommendations, complete cognitive skills program, no possession of alcohol or mood altering substances, submit to random testing, do not enter premises of establishments primarily serving alcoholic beverages, maintain employment and residence, submit to random searches, no contact with anyone involved with
is needed to produce sufficient revenue to cover costs and to prevent a “revenue deficiency.” Customers will see differing effects on their monthly bills depending on “natural gas use and customer type.” During this 10 month period of review and evaluation by the PUC, the Minnesota Department of Commerce investigates MERC’s books and records. The public comment period runs from December 19, 2013 through March 27, 2014. The local office for MERC is at 3460 Technology Drive NW, Rochester, Minn. Comments can be e-mailed to PublicComments.PUC@state. mn.us. or they can be mailed to Burl Haar, Executive Secretary, MN PUC, 121 7th Place East, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 551012147. Include the docket number with your comments, PUC Docket Number G-011/GR-13617. sale, use, or distribution of controlled substances, do not engage in or exhibit assaultive, aggressive, threatening, or intimidating behavior, do not possess firearms, dangerous weapons, or ammunition, submit DNA sample. Mark Kevin Burrington, 52, of Spring Valley, Minn. appeared in Fillmore County Court on February 24, 2014 for sentencing for one count Drugs - 5th Degree - Possess Schedule 1,2,3,4 - Not Small Amount Marijuana. Burrington was given a stay of imposition that includes 30 days in the Fillmore County Jail to be served by April 1, 2014 with credit for time served of 14 days, a fine of $1,000, five years of supervised probation with the conditions of no same or similar, do not possess alcohol or mood altering substances, submit to random tests, do not enter premises of establishments primarily serving alcoholic beverages, be medication compliant, maintain employment and residence, do not engage in assaultive, aggressive, intimidating, or threatening behavior, submit to random searches, no contact with anyone known to be involved with sale, use, or distribution of controlled substances, no contact with known felons, no possession of firearms, dangerous weapons, or ammunition.
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