Exhibit 10.1





Exhibit 10.1




To: Stephen J. Densberger, Bonalyn J. Hartley, Thomas C. Leonard, Roland E. Olivier and Donald L.
Ware



From: Duane C. Montopoli




Re: 2010 Officer Bonus Plan (COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL)




Date: January 28, 2010



I am very pleased to inform each of you that at its January 27, 2010 meeting, the Pennichuck
Corporation Board of Directors established an Executive Officer Bonus Plan for calendar year 2010.



Under the Plan, which covers all qualifying Executive Officers of Pennichuck Corporation (see
employment test below) except me (my bonus for 2010 will be at the discretion of the Board), bonus
amounts are credited into a “pool” based on the amount of Company-wide (i.e., consolidated) pre-tax
pre-bonus income (see precise definition on attached schedule) achieved for the full year
(hereinafter, “Company-Wide Income”). The attached schedule indicates what amounts are credited
into the pool (subject to footnote 2 therein) at varying levels of Company-Wide Income expressed as
percentages of the Company’s operating budget for 2010 that was approved at the January 27 Board
meeting. The actual bonus pool amount will be determined at the completion of the annual audit
process after year-end (around March 1, 2011).



Once determined, bonus pool amounts will be paid-out as cash awards as follows:



	 	 	 
	% of Pool	 	How Awarded
	30%

	 	Non-Discretionary: Pro-rata based on 2010 beginning base salaries as a % of total
covered compensation (i.e., the sum of such salaries for all qualifying Plan
participants).
	 
	 	 
	Up To 30%

	 	Non-Discretionary: 5% of bonus pool is earned for each of six (6) customer
service/product reliability/environmental metrics achieved for the year (see next page).
Amount earned (example: achieve 5 of 6 metrics = 25% of Pool) is
allocated pro-rata based on 2010 beginning base salaries as a % of
total covered compensation.






 


 









 





	 	 	 
	% of Pool	 	How Awarded
	40%

	 	Discretionary: Allocated among participants by the Compensation Committee of the
Board based on an assessment of each participant’s individual performance for the year.
A very important factor in this regard will be the accomplishment of your personal Goals
& Objectives for the year (including your financial, customer service and product
quality goals, as applicable to your position).






	 	 	 
	Customer Service/Product Reliability/Environmental Metrics	 	 
	(Regulated Water Customers):	 	Targets
	1. Unresolved customer service complaint calls to NHPUC
	 	<30 calls per yr
	2. Customer call abandonment rate (after one minute)
	 	<1% of total calls per yr
	3. Est. (vs. actual) readings/billings (normal conditions)
	 	<1.5% of billings for 2010
	4. Non-power outages due to equipment failure
	 	<100 incidents per yr
	5. Unresolved pressure complaints per NHPUC Rules/Regs
	 	0 per year
	6. NHDES non-compliance violations due to operational error
	 	0 incidents per year






If Company-Wide Income falls below 88% of budget for 2010, no cash bonuses will be payable under
the Plan.



To be eligible for any bonus award under the Plan, you must be an employee of Pennichuck
Corporation or one of its subsidiaries (collectively, “Pennichuck”) on the actual payment date.
Bonus awards under the Plan will be paid out (net of tax withholding and other required deductions)
by March 15, 2011.



Exceptional Circumstances Provision: If, prior to the actual payment date, unforeseen or unusual
circumstances arise which have serious negative financial consequences and which would render the
payment of any awards under the Plan imprudent in light of the then current financial or operating
condition of the Company, Pennichuck reserves the right to delay or cancel such awards by giving
notice to participants prior to the regular payment date. Furthermore, since bonus awards are
intended to be based on and paid out of operating earnings, the Company reserves the right, at its
discretion, to modify or eliminate the effects on calculated bonus pool amounts of, (1)
extraordinary gains or other non-operating income amounts (e.g., the sale of non-operating assets),
and (2) unusual non-cash charges.



Let’s work hard, and work together, to make 2010 a year of solid performance and, in so doing,
create well-earned cash bonuses. If you have any questions about the workings of this Plan, please
let me know.


 


2









 





PENNICHUCK

OFFICER BONUS PLAN

2010 BONUS POOL AMOUNTS

(CONFIDENTIAL)




	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Officer Pool	 
	Company Wide	 	Available	 	 	% of	 
	Income (1)	 	Bonus	 	 	Covered	 
	% of Approved Budget	 	Pool(3)	 	 	Comp.(2)	 
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	112%+
	 	$	158,970	 	 	 	21.0	%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	108%
	 	 	149,129	 	 	 	19.7	%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	104%
	 	 	138,531	 	 	 	18.3	%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	100%
	 	 	128,690	 	 	 	17.0	%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	96%
	 	 	119,228	 	 	 	15.8	%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	92%
	 	 	109,765	 	 	 	14.5	%
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	88%
	 	 	100,303	 	 	 	13.3	%








	 	 	 
	Footnotes:

	 
	(1)	 	Defined as full year (i.e., 12 months) consolidated income for calendar 2010 before,
(a) eminent domain costs, (b) non-operating income from the sale of real estate, (c) all cash
bonuses, and (d) income taxes.

	 
	(2)	 	Based on beginning of year base salaries. Calculated bonus pool amounts will be adjusted to
these percentages in the event of a reduction in Plan participants prior to payout.

	 
	(3)	 	Performance between indicated income levels will be pro-rated to create a bonus pool
proportional to such performance.