Letter to the Reading Eagle Editor

May 2, 2008
Former Mayor Marino
409 W. Main St.
Kutztown, Pa 19530
e-mail kmayor@ptd.net 610-683-7977
website www.marinoreport.com
Letter to the Editor of the Reading Eagle
Thank you for the very informative 5-1-08 article by reporter Park about Hometown Utilicom. Hometown Utilicom is not a utility as stated by Mr. Caruso but a Business Venture that loses about $1 million a year. A business that has 1,000 customers and adds 6,000 more and breaks even could be losing about $1 million a year or more.
Mr. Caruso does not mention the finances of HU or the amount of money the University customers would generate, the cost of the new installation or the cost of additional personnel. He also did not release the dollar amount of the offer.
Because the Borough is a municipality all of the finances of the Borough are public information. The Borough has never published a financial report or audit of HU which is a Borough Code violation. The Borough can not compete with private industry because of the open records laws.
The article also states that the Borough has loaned and transferred funds into HU but again does not state the amounts. Why did the Council vote unanimously to submit an offer when Mr. Caruso has stated the infrastructure can not be completed in time to satisfy the offer. Then Council Vice President Seyler states we can grow our system, and we can grow our business. He recently voted to borrow $1.3 million to update our current system.
Gennaro A, Marino P.E.
Former Mayor of Kutztown