The Laurens County Advertiser

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Laurens, SC
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Submitted By: Gregory C. Bailes	Submitted: 2/10/2010
Like the rest of the 7,700 or so people that purchase natural gas and electricity from the Laurens CPW, our family has experienced some extremely high power bills. In reading the latest quotes from the General Manager of CPW, Dale Satterfield, I was surprised to learn our rates had dropped in 2009 for natural gas. According to his statement, he was able to save the public over $19,000 for natural gas in the year 2009. This equates to a savings of approximately $2.46 per household. I don’t see this as a significant enough savings to my overall monthly power bill. Especially for a public service looking out for my best interest in comparison to the rates they’ve been charging me for natural gas and electricity over the past 25 years. I have a few questions: 1) Why do we rank at the top in SC each month for having the highest rates for natural gas? 2) Why do our rates fluctuate each month and who is responsible for setting these prices? 3) Over the last four months our rates for natural gas have changed from $1.29 for October, $1.45 for November, $1.41 for December, and $1.50 for January. How do these fluctuations compare with our neighboring counties over that same time period? 4) Natural gas closed at $.55 per therm on Friday (2/5/10). We paid $1.50 per therm for January. Did natural gas prices drop that significantly in a month’s time? 5) What are our rates for February compared to the $.55 per therm? 6) Have natural gas prices fluctuated up and down at the same rate as Laurens CPW’s during this same time period? 7) Why do our neighbors in Clinton pay $1.08 per therm and Greenwood pay $.98, while we pay $1.50? 8) How are our neighboring counties able to do this? 9) As our public service shouldn’t you be asking our neighbors how this is possible in order to save your customers additional money during these hard economic times? 10) Why do most, if not all other counties in SC publish their rates for anyone to see and yet Laurens CPW does not? We have to figure it out by using a calculator each month (divide your charged amount, minus their $7.50 charge whether you use gas or not, by your consumed ammount..ex: $181.47-$7.50 / 116 consumed =$1.499 Per Therm.) 11) As a public service, what are your plans to reduce this rate in line with what our neighboring counties are paying? 12) Doesn’t it bother anyone that fixed income families have to keep their heat temperature at 60 degrees in order to afford the power bill? Is that public service? 13) Why does Laurens CPW still use a consultant or broker from NC to purchase gas when most other companies have an on-sight employee negotiating natural gas prices? 14) Doesn’t having a middle man add unnecessary cost to the rates for natural gas back to the public? 15) Any future plans to eliminate this extra cost? 16) Isn’t there a natural gas supervisor already on staff at Laurens CPW? Why not allow them to purchase direct and eliminate the middle man? 17) Is there any chance we could join or “pipe in” with Clinton Natural Gas to consolidate our purchases and get a lower rate for both counties? 18) Why are we paying the PMPA (Piedmont Municipal Power Agency) the highest electric rates compared to the other companies that do not use PMPA? 19) Why did we not have an “out clause” in the contract signed with PMPA in case they don’t produce fair market prices for electricity? 20) Shouldn’t we expect our public service to look after our best interests when negotiating contracts that we’re responsible for paying by having an “out clause” to insure you are providing the best market prices to the public? 21) Is it true we rank 2nd highest in electric rates compared to the other 10 counties that bought into the PMPA? 22) If so, why? Aren’t the rates from PMPA the same for all 10 counties? 23) Why have the bonds for involvement with the PMPA been refinanced so many times since 1984? 24) Is there a plan In place to pay down or pay off the money owed from the initial buy-in to PMPA after 25 years of refinancing? 25) If higher rates for gas and electricity are justification for paying back the buy-in to PMPA, why do we still owe the initial amount 25 years later? 26) What was the money allocated for from the higher rates if not to pay back this money? 27) After 25 years of involvement with PMPA shouldn’t the public expect to get the cheapest rates available for electricity? 28) Is it true our only “out clause” for eliminating our contract with PMPA (in order to test the open market like our neighbors) is for all 10 counties involved to bring suit against them? 29) Is it true when deregulation on electricity seemed imminent, our public service increased the natural gas rates to the public in order to make up the difference? 30) Since deregulation never happened, why have our rates continued to rise rather than drop? 31) Since our rates will unfortunately continue to fluctuate, what programs are place to help the public save money on their power bill? 32) Why do I, “Joe Public”, have to ask these questions and why are the people representing our best interests not asking them? This all seems similar to how Enron treated their customers in California through rate hikes. I would encourage all 7,700 or so customers of the Laurens CPW to attend the next board meeting in March to help find a better solution to lowering our power bills, especially for the fixed income families. Kind Regards, Gregory C. Bailes

Submitted By:	Submitted: 3/24/2010
I have a few things that I like to say about Laurens. 1.) How can a person get out of jail for doing meth or meth lab? 2.) Why can't someone fix the roads right? All they know how to do is throw a little something in the holes. They need to pave the whole road. I know some roads that could be paved from end to end; Ekom Beach and Neely Ferry. But you know that's not going to happen. I see people fly up and down Ekom Beach. By the way what should be the speed on this road? If I could be a law man, I'd have it made by catching all them. If you like to watch speeders, just come to Ekom. 3.) Why can't Laurens build another high school for all these kids? If there was another high school, maybe the kids would stay in school but, no, they like to keep it all in one. I guess that's all for now but I say this "if you like to get away with things; Laurens is the place to be."

Submitted By: Cynthia Thackston	Submitted: 5/11/2010
I have to say as an adult with children that this whole town is so naive. I have always heard people with book smarts have no common street smarts and the ones with street smarts have no common book smarts. As i get older i know this to be true. All I have to say is that no one has their priorities in order anymore. I agree drugs are wrong and are a problem but when a child sex offender is released on his own PR and the next one up for bond is already on probation with nine counts of molestation charges on a child and has two more and is released on 10,000 bond. That the people of this town are fooled by our very own media. I am not saying drugs are alright but would you rather have a child molester in your area? All I'm saying is our very own media is our worst enemy.

Submitted By: tony cox	Submitted: 6/2/2010
I think it's a joke that a coach who wins the state title, coach of the year, could be let go. I personally think that the Red Devil players should unite and not attend a practice, meeting, or game for the new puppet. In other words , pull a C J Spiller and threaten to leave like he did a couple of years ago for Bowden. Is there no loyalty left anymore ? And I'm not even a Clinton fan, I can just imagine how Devil fans feel.

Submitted By: Walter Allen	Submitted: 6/9/2010
As a child one of my favorite cartoon characters was Yogi Bear. He would say to his little side kick, “Hey Boo-boo, let’s go get us a pic-a-nic basket”. Of course they always had to keep a watchful eye for the Park Ranger. Parks are a wonderful place. They can be full of adventure for children. They can be home to several species of wildlife. And, they can be destinations for picnics and relaxation. Laurens County is fortunate to have a state park that offers all of these attractions. And, if you are an American History enthusiasts, the historic site offers a visit into Colonial America and the War for Independence by walking the Battle Field trail. Located six miles north of Clinton on Highway 56, Musgrove Mill State Historic Site is within a short driving distance. The park has a attractive visitor center for information. It has several hiking trails throughout its woodlands. It has open and covered picnic areas. There is a pond for young fishermen, or for the more skilled, the Enoree River, in which to cast a hook. Or, if so inclined for adventure, one can put in a canoe or kayak and drift down the Enoree for an hour’s ride before the first take out point. The rocky shoals near the canoe launch provide a wet playground for the young and young at heart. And, if one is lucky, he may spot a bald eagle flying above the river. Unfortunately, parks fall victim to budget cuts. The State of South Carolina has cut the budget to Musgrove Mill State Historic Site and the park is in danger of closing. The extent of the closing has not been fully determined. This park is a beautiful place for residents to visit, a tourist attraction, and a great place for Revolutionary War re-enactors and Living History demonstrators to “do their thing”. A new organization that has been formed, called the “Friends of the Park”, is working to assist the local rangers and the State Park Service, by volunteering their efforts to staff the park for selected days so that the park can remain open. The Friends of the Park are sponsoring a Discover the Park Day on Saturday, June 26 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. There will be refreshments and information on how you can help and join the Friends of the Park group. All are cordially invited to come, enjoy, and discover the park. Walter Allen Clinton, SC

Submitted By: john a cox	Submitted: 7/19/2010
I see where the Raiders football program has a new voice calling the games on the radio this year. Hopefully it will be an improvement over the past few seasons. If I can offer the new voice of the Raiders just one hint to improve the broadcast, it would be to GIVE THE SCORE MORE THAN 4 TIMES DURING THE GAME! I could ride home from work in Spartanburg on Friday nights and never know the score with the previous crew. This is very annoying to a fan. If you want to hear hear how a game should be broadcast, listen to a Gaffney game, best high school I have ever listened to.

Submitted By: leslie pitts	Submitted: 8/20/2010
I was just looking at the court records for this month. No wonder people keep committing crimes because they know they can get away with them. I cannot believe what I was reading. Almost all the cases were time served, no real punishment for their crime. It's almost like saying go do it again.

Submitted By:	Submitted: 8/31/2010
I would like to know why our electricity bills are so high with Laurens Commission of Public Works. I have also had high gas bills in the past like Gregory C. Bailes. This past month my electrical bill alone was over $400 and my total bill was over $500. This makes absolutely no sense to have a power bill that is almost as high as a house payment. I truly regret moving to Laurens from Clinton and am considering selling my home and leaving this area because of the stupidity with all the public service rates and criminals getting off the hook.

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