Just received the YUB order regarding cost awards for all participants in the ATCO Yukon Electric rate hearing. I am writing to express my disgust with this board.
You bluntly direct compensation to three Yukon intervenors (all with university degrees) $300 for three days of attendance, preparation time, time spent carefully listening to comments, taking necessary notes, all vital for later written argument. As well, each of these individuals had to prepare and spend several hours cross-examining a panel of witnesses.
With the same order, your board compensated lawyers for the City of Whitehorse, ATCO Yukon Electric, your own board $300 or more for each hour of the hearing. All of these representatives reside and pay taxes Outside and all did exactly the same job as the local intervenors. Is this fair, equitable and reasonable?
In your reasons for making decisions you continually demonstrate delight in your faculty to exercise discretionary powers. Yet when you have the opportunity to make things right you rely on outdated policies that were originally designed to circumvent the manipulation of costs instead of practical judgment and discretion. You know precisely what work these intervenor representatives had to endure during the hearing process.
How can you even look these local intervenors straight in the eye from now on?
While I’m at it, why are board costs continually escalating every rate hearing?
The Yukon public, whom you are obligated to serve, deserves some answers.
Roger Rondeau
Utilities Consumers Group
Whitehorse