TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,
2007, 6 P.M.
REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman
Millard called the regular meeting to order at 6:03 p.m., followed by the
Pledge of Allegiance.
ATTENDANCE
Stephen L.
Millard, Chairman
Donald L.
Steinmeier, Vice Chairman
Kenneth L.
Tyndale, Secretary/Treasurer
Robert R. Jones
PUBLIC COMMENT
No public
comment was offered at this time.
PRESENTATION
S&A
Homes. Justin Kuhn of K&W engineers,
representing S&A Homes, was present to discuss the proposed Oak Grove Manor
development to be located along the northwest side of the
Mr. Kuhn
reviewed his letter dated September 13, 2007, with included the two following
two options for providing public sewer service to the development.
Option 1 would
convey the flow from Oak Grove Manor to Pump Station #5. This option would include installing a new
pump station (80 gpm) that would collect and convey sanitary sewer from the
site to existing Pump Station #5. Pump
Station #5 would need to be upgraded to handle the increase flow. The cost of Option 1 would be $361,826, which
would be funded entirely by the developer.
Option 2 would
convey flows from the Oak Grove Manor development, Pump Station #10, and Pump
Station #5 to a relief force main along the north side of
Mr. Kuhn stated
that it was his understanding that the Authority would prefer Option 2 to allow
the Authority to (1) decrease the overall number of pump stations within the
Township and (2) relieve pending capacity issues facing Pump Station #6. The increased cost of Option 2 over Option 1
would be $221,110. Mr. Kuhn added that
S&A Homes would be willing to construct the necessary improvements to
implement Option 2, if the Authority would be willing to provide reimbursement
for the net difference via reduced tapping fees, inspection fees, etc.
A lengthy
discussion followed Mr. Kuhn’s presentation.
By consensus, the Authority agreed to have the Authority’s engineer look
at the issues and discuss this project at a future meeting.
Mr. Kuhn
thanked the Authority for their time.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Regular
Meeting, August 21, 2007. Mr.
Steinmeier moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, to approve the August 21, 2007 Minutes
as distributed. The motion was approved
3-0, with Mr. Tyndale abstaining as he was not present at that meeting.
FINANCIAL REPORTS
Operating
Expenses. Mrs. Martin reported that
prepaid invoices totaled $39,781.54. Mrs. Martin
also reported that invoices pending payment totaled $224,641.12.
Mr. Jones
moved, seconded by Mr. Steinmeier, to approve the prepaid invoices in the
amount of $39,781.54. The motion was
unanimously approved.
Mr. Jones
moved, seconded by Mr. Tyndale, to approve the pending invoices in the amount
of $224,641.12. The motion was
unanimously approved.
The Authority
briefly reviewed the arrears listing and directed Mr. Yost to write letters to
those residents in arrears more than $300.
OLD BUSINESS
Update on
Vermitech. Mr. Salisbury reported
that the building was scheduled for substantial completion in December 2007. He added that worms are being cultivated at
the plant in preparation for operation of the vermicomposting process by
January 2008.
Mr. Salisbury
called the Authority’s attention to a letter dated September 14, 2007 from
Shaun Ankers of Vermitech USA, Inc., requesting another installment payment in
the amount of $146,250 to offset ongoing costs being incurred by Vermitech in
light of the unfortunate delay in the project.
A lengthy discussion followed, during which it was suggested that
Mr. Salisbury should review the contract to determine the payment schedule
and report back at the October meeting.
Mr. Tyndale
moved, seconded by Mr. Steinmeier, to table the request for payment until the
October 2007 meeting. The motion was
unanimously approved.
Mr. Millard
expressed some concern over the amount of cracking on the floor of the
building. Mr. Tyndale stated that he
also believed that there were more cracks than he would like to see. Following a brief discussion, it was agreed
that the Authority’s engineer should request a written opinion regarding the
stability of the concrete. Mr. Shope
agreed to provide a report to the Authority at the October meeting.
Update on
Swatara Capacity. Mr. Millard
reported that he attended a meeting at the Swatara treatment plant on September
12, 2007. A presentation was made
showing the costs that would be incurred in upgrading the treatment plant. Mr. Millard called the members’ attention to
the breakdown of costs, which total $15,173,250.
Mr. Yost
reported that discovery continues in the arbitration case.
Update on
Influent Screen at the Treatment Plant.
TABLED.
Evergreen
Ridge (Currently tabled at the Township).
TABLED.
Repair/Replace
Utility Pole on Authority Property.
Mr. Tyndale reported that he would meet with Mr. Salisbury during the
week of September 24.
Reduction of
Escrow Funds/Deed of Dedication for Country Hearth. Mr. Yost reported that this matter remained
unresolved but added that he would do his best to complete it for the October
2007 meeting.
Summit
Family Restaurant/Generator for Pump Station #1. Mr. Shope called the members’ attention to
his memorandum dated September 18, 2007.
Mr. Shope briefly reviewed the memorandum, with the final conclusion
being that since Pump Station #1 could not be eliminated by constructing a
gravity sewer, and given that the costs associated with the construction of a
new gravity sewer are prohibitive at approximately $80,000. Mr. Shope made a recommendation that the
Summit Family Restaurant and the Sleep Inn proposed for
Proposed
Changes to Requirements for Developers to Pay to Update GIS Mapping. The following changes were recommended to the
Sewer Extension and Security Agreement:
To Paragraph
5.a., ad after the word “thereof” the following: “and one (1) digitized plan set in a format
approved by the Authority; and”
To Paragraph 9,
add the following new sub paragraph: “e.
The reasonable charges for updating the Sewer Index Map of the Authority’s
Sanitary Sewer System to add the new extension.”
Mr. Tyndale
moved, seconded by Mr. Jones, to adopt the recommended changes to the Sewer
Extension and Security Agreement. The
motion was unanimously approved.
NEW BUSINESS
Insurance
for Authority. Mr. Salisbury
reported that Erik Olsen from Strickler Insurance visited the treatment plant
and pump stations to obtain some of the information he needed to provide a
quote for insurance. Mr. Olsen also
contacted Township Manager Mike Rimer to obtain some additional information,
which has not yet been received.
7624 and
7652 Green Hill Road. Mr. Salisbury
called the members’ attention to his memorandum dated September 7, 2007. Mr. Salisbury raised the question as to whether
or not the Authority wanted to install laterals for these two properties off
manholes installed in the Sagewicke Phase IV and Annex cul-de-sacs. If the laterals were installed, both
properties would be within 150 feet of the public sewer line. A brief discussion followed.
Mr. Tyndale
moved, seconded by Mr. Steinmeier, that the properties located at 7624 and
Jason Weiser. Mr. Salisbury called the members’ attention
to Mr. Shope’s letter dated August 27, 2007 regarding the proposed three-lot
subdivision proposed for property owned by Jason Weiser. Mr. Weiser’s plan calls for construction of a
low-pressure force main to serve this subdivision. Mr. Salisbury raised a question as to whether
the Authority should require Mr. Weiser to construct a gravity sewer line
to serve the proposed subdivision. It
was pointed out that if a gravity sewer line was required, the cost to the
developer would be substantially more than the proposed low-pressure force main
and that the developer would likely look to the Authority for some cost
sharing. Mr. Salisbury added that the
letter was provided for information only at the present time.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No public
comment was offered at this time.
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Salisbury
briefly reviewed the correspondence included with the packets.
AUTHORITY MEMBER
COMMENTS
Bob Jones. Mr. Jones stated that he believed it was
important to schedule a meeting between the Authority and the Board of
Supervisors to discuss the Swatara capacity.
He asked Mr. Salisbury to work on scheduling a workshop meeting
following the election in November in order that the two new supervisors could
be included.
Ken Tyndale. Mr. Tyndale had no comments.
Steve
Millard. Mr. Millard had no
comments.
Don
Steinmeier. Mr. Steinmeier had no
comments.
REPORTS
Authority
Manager. Mr. Salisbury submitted a
written report. In addition, he called
the members’ attention a proposal from Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. for
replacement of the bubble diffusers in the amount of $103,196. Mr. Salisbury also called the members’
attention to a proposal in the amount of $43,540 from Tesco Controls, Inc. for
replacement of the raw water pumping station control panel at the treatment
plant.
Authority
Engineer. Mr. Shope submitted a
written report.
Authority
Solicitor. Mr. Yost had no further
report.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Jones
moved, seconded by Mr. Tyndale, to adjourn the meeting. The motion was unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Gail
A. Martin
Recording
Secretary