BEFORE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI

 

 

In the Matter of the Joint Application of Brandco      )

Investments, LLC and Hillcrest Utility Operating              )

Company, Inc., for Hillcrest to Acquire Certain        )      File No. WO-2014-0340 et al.

Water and Sewer Assets of Brandco and, Inc.        )

Connection Therewith, Issue Indebtedness and       )

Encumber Assets                                                  )

 

 

ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE

 

Issue Date:  September 15, 2014                     Effective Date:  September 15, 2014

 

On May 13, 2014, Brandco Investments, LLC and Hillcrest Utility Operating Company, Inc., filed an application asking the Commission to approve Hillcrest’s acquisition of the water and sewer assets of Brandco, and to grant Hillcrest a certificate to operate those assets as a public utility. On August 26, the Commission’s Staff recommended the Commission approve the transfer and grant the certificate, subject, however, to certain financial conditions that Hillcrest has found unacceptable.  To give the Commission an opportunity to swiftly resolve their disagreement, Staff, acting on behalf of Hillcrest and Public Counsel, has filed a jointly proposed procedural schedule.  

After considering the jointly proposed procedural schedule, the Commission concludes that the proposed schedule is appropriate.

THE COMMISSION ORDERS THAT:

1.               The following procedural schedule is established:

Company files Direct Testimony            -      September 19, 2014  

 

Local Public Hearing Held                      -      September 24, 2014

 

Staff and Public Counsel file Rebuttal

Testimony                                              -      October 3, 2014

 

Any Party may file Surrebuttal

Testimony                                              -      October 17, 2014

 

Joint List of Issues                                 -      October 23, 2014

 

Statements of Position                           -      October 27, 2014

 

Evidentiary Hearing                                -      October 29, 2014, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

 

Post-hearing briefs                                -      November 7, 2014

 

2.               The parties shall comply with the following procedural requirements:

(A)      Testimony shall be prefiled as defined in Commission Rule 4 CSR 240‑2.130.  All parties must comply with this rule, including the requirement that testimony be filed on line‑numbered pages. 

(B)      The parties shall agree upon and Staff shall file a list of the issues to be heard, the witnesses to appear on each day of the hearing, the order in which they will be called, and the order of cross‑examination for each witness.  The list of issues should be detailed enough to inform the Commission of each issue that must be resolved.  The Commission will view any issue not contained in this list of issues as uncontested and not requiring resolution by the Commission.

(C)     Each party shall file a simple and concise statement summarizing its position on each disputed issue. 

(D)     All pleadings, briefs, and amendments shall be filed in accordance with Commission Rule 4 CSR 240‑2.080.  Briefs shall follow the same list of issues as filed in the case and must set forth and cite the proper portions of the record concerning the remaining unresolved issues that are to be decided by the Commission.

(E)      All parties shall bring an adequate number of copies of exhibits that they intend to offer into evidence at the hearing.  If an exhibit has not been prefiled, the party offering it must bring, in addition to the copy for the court reporter, a copy for each Commissioner, the Presiding Judge, and all counsel.

 

3.               Response times to data requests shall be five business days to respond, three business days to object, and three business days to notify the requesting party of the need for additional time to respond.

4.               The hearing shall be held at the Commission’s office at the Governor Office Building, Room 310, 200 Madison Street, Jefferson City, Missouri.  This building meets accessibility standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.  If you need additional accommodations to participate in this hearing, please call the Public Service Commission’s Hotline at 1-800-392-4211 (voice) or Relay Missouri at 711 before the hearing.

5.               This order shall become effective upon issuance.

 

                                                            BY THE COMMISSION

_Pic2                                      Morris L. Woodruff

                                                            Secretary

 

 

Morris L. Woodruff, Chief Law Judge,

by delegation of authority

pursuant to Section 386.240, RSMo 2000.

 

Dated at Jefferson City, Missouri,

on this 15th day of September, 2014.