Housatonic — The long troubled Housatonic Water Works company recently filed its annual report for 2023 with the Department of Public Utilities.
The report shows that, yet again, both company President Frederick Mercer and Treasurer James Mercer yet again received a raise in their salaries.
Since at least the last five years, Frederick Mercer and James Mercer have received raises.
In 2023, both Frederick Mercer and James Mercer each received a $117,572 salary, an increase of $3,424 from 2022.
| Year | Salary | Increase from previous year |
| 2019 | $104,462 | |
| 2020 | $107,595 | $3,133 |
| 2021 | $110,823 | $3,228 |
| 2022 | $114,148 | $3,325 |
| 2023 | $117,572 | $3,424 |
Overall, in the past five years, Frederick Mercer and James Mercer have seen their salaries increase by $13,110 total.
According to the report’s general balance worksheet, the company had a balance of $4,829,822 by the end of 2023.
The balance is a $184,882 increase from 2022.
According to the operating expenses worksheet, the most expensive cost to the company in 2023 was the salaries of general officers and clerks at $277,721, an increase of $9,223 from the previous year.
General office supplies and expenses came in as the second most expensive at $82,026, a $2,022 increase from the previous year.
The grand total operating expenses for 2023 is listed as $740,116, a $2,592 increase from 2022.
