The owner, Edward Signorile, of the Sheldon House, located at 7 Falconer St., Jamestown, has accused the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities of treating him unfairly because of his sexual orientation. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

A Jamestown Board of Public Utilities customer claims he is being treated unfairly because of his sexual orientation.

Monday during the BPU September monthly board meeting, Edward Signorile, the property owner at 7 Falconer St., also known as The Sheldon House, claimed in an email — that was read during the meeting — addressed to Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist, who is the president of the BPU board, that his property should be classified as a residential property. However, the city-owned utility company charges him a commercial property rate.

Signorile alleges that for three years he has tried to discuss the issue with BPU officials, but claims he has been lied to and ignored. He also states that he is being treated unfairly because he is gay.

“I believe I’m being treated prejudicially because my partner and myself are a gay couple,” he said. “It’s public knowledge who we are. We were on the cover of The Post-Journal when we bought the house. I’m now thinking of starting a lawsuit against the city because of this.”

Signorile continues by asking Sundquist for his help in having his property classified as residential instead of commercial.

“I’m being treated differently. Why?” he asked. “You (Sundquist) are a member of the board of the Jamestown BPU. I’m asking you to help me correct this injustice.”

Sundquist told The Post-Journal that he has talked to Signorile to address his concerns, but couldn’t comment in depth into the matter because of possible legal action.

“Regardless of someone’s affiliation, the BPU treats all of its customers exactly the same,” Sundquist said. “As an LGBT official, elected official, it saddens me to hear that someone would feel this way.”

Sundquist said the BPU has a process for customers to challenge the BPU service classification.

“Mr. Signorile has filed a (state Public Service Commission) complaint. I don’t believe that has been resolved yet, so there is some active litigation there,” Sundquist said.

The chairman of the BPU board is Greg Rabb, who at one point was the only openly gay elected official in Western New York. He was first elected to an At-Large position on the Jamestown City Council in 2007. He started his tenure in office in 2008, when he was also appointed by former Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi to the BPU board.

In 2018, after losing election to the council in the fall of 2017, Rabb was appointed as a citizen member of the BPU board because of his experience. He was then elected chairman, a position he was re-elected to in 2019 and 2020.

Rabb told The Post-Journal he was surprised by Signorile’s accusation.

“I don’t think (Signorile) realizes the chairman is an openly gay former elected official,” Rabb said. “As an openly gay chairman of the BPU, I would not tolerate people being treated differently.”

Rabb said he has never been treated differently by a BPU board members or any employee because of his sexual orientation.

“I’ve never heard of anyone being treated unfairly because they are gay (by someone affiliated with the BPU),” he said. “I’ve never heard any allegations from anyone in the community.”

Rabb said he has been known to raise objections when he believes someone or himself is being treated unfairly.

“There is no way I would stand for it. I know the folks at the BPU after 12 years. They’re a very professional organization across the board, and I’ve never been treated differently,” he said.

As for the reason Signorile’s is being classified as a commercial property owner instead of a residential, Becky Robbins, BPU communications coordinator, said BPU officials cannot comment at this time because of pending legal action.