Raftelis staff provided assessment and connection fee expert witness assistance to the City of Stamford (City) related to litigation with a developer. The City imposes assessments on properties that are benefited when utility services are installed, and a connection charge is assigned to the property whenever construction results in the creation of additional units that are connected to the utility system. In addition, any remaining costs not paid by the assessment or connection fees are incorporated into the utility user charge. Raftelis staff also prepared an analysis of the cost and benefit provided by the City to the developer associated with the property connected to the City’s system and evaluated the merits of the City’s assessment, connection, and user fees. Raftelis staff provided an expert report and deposition on the technical justification for the fees and the reasonableness of the fees that are charged. Assistance resulted in the litigation being settled between the parties.
