CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Henry Young called the April 17, 2001 regular meeting of the West Hanover Township Water and Sewer Authority to order at 7:03 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL

Henry H. Young, Chairman

David W. Wingeard, Vice Chairman

Gloria J. Zimmerman, Treasurer

Stephen L. Millard

PUBLIC COMMENT

No public comment was offered at this time.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mrs. Zimmerman moved, seconded by Mr. Wingeard, to approve the March 20, 2001 Minutes as distributed. The motion was unanimously approved.

FINANCIAL REPORTS

Mr. Wingeard asked if the sludge bill represented the cost for removing sludge for the first quarter of 2001. Mr. Salisbury responded saying that sludge was removed from the treatment plant twice a year. Mr. Wingeard asked how many tons were removed because he was not able to equate the amount of sludge removed with the amount of money charged. Mr. Salisbury explained that the contract for sludge removal did allow for an adjustment annually with the cost of living index. Mr. Salisbury said the cost was $37 per cubic yard. Mr. Wingeard said that explained why he could not arrive at the same figure because at the March meeting it was discussed that the Authority paid per pound. [NOTE: It should be noted that even though the discussion at the March meeting was that the Authority paid $37 per pound for sludge removal, and it was so noted in the Minutes, the Authority paid $37 per cubic yard for sludge removal.]

Mr. Millard asked why the Authority joined the PA Municipal Authorities Association (PMAA) when Mr. Young clearly thought it was a waste of money a short time ago. Mr. Young said that the membership in the PMAA was dropped at a time when the Authority was facing financial constraints and it was attempting to cut back on as many expenses as possible. He said that was about the same time that the Authority members decided they would not collect the $20 per meeting. Mr. Young went on to say that he believed that since the Authority had achieved financial stability, it was important for the Authority to rejoin the PMAA. Mr. Millard asked if we were already members of the PMAA. Mr. Young said the Authority would officially rejoin the PMAA when payment was approved.

Mr. Millard questioned the deductible for St. Paul. Mr. Young said that Mr. Rimer had requested the Authority pay the deductible for the lawsuit that he filed. Mr. Millard said that Mr. Rimer did not file the lawsuit, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did. Mr. Young said the suit was filed based on information supplied by Mr. Rimer. Mr. Millard asked Mr. Young if it were not true that he had called the State Police on two residents of West Hanover Township—Ken Tyndale and Bob Garland. Mr. Millard said he did not believe the ratepayers should pay the deductible. Mrs. Zimmerman said she did not understand Mr. Millard’s comment since he also did not believe the Township should pay the deductible.

Mrs. Zimmerman moved, seconded by Mr. Wingeard, to pay the operating expenses in the amount of $85,312.30. The motion was approved 3-1, with Mr. Millard voting nay.

OLD BUSINESS

Minutes for Website. Mr. Millard asked if Mrs. Martin could provide the Authority’s Minutes for the period of January 2000 to March 2001. He said the Minutes would be posted on the Township’s website. Mr. Young said she could do that, but also said that the Authority would probably have its own website in the near future.

Cash Box. Mr. Millard asked when the Authority would provide the cash box, which would be used for change for sewer bills, to the Township Office. Mrs. Martin responded saying the cash box would be provided to the Township Office before April 20, 2001.

Pension Contribution. Mr. Millard said that the 2000 pension true up was discussed at the Board of Supervisors’ executive session recently.

Mr. Millard moved to have the Sewer Authority reimburse the Township in the amount of $3,200 for the 2000 pension true up.

Mr. Wingeard said he did not believe that the Authority should pay the money as the employee in question had requested, in writing, to be removed from the pension plan. He went on to say that the employee went from full-time to part-time status and had not requested nor did she expect pension contributions from the Authority. Mr. Young reminded the Authority members that the employee had a right to privacy and that the matter should be discussed in executive session.

Mr. Millard’s motion failed for lack of a second.

NEW BUSINESS

Finances. Mr. Millard said he was dismayed when he went to Fulton Bank and Commerce Bank and was denied access to any information regarding the Authority’s accounts even though he was a member of the Authority. Mr. Millard asked who the signers on the accounts were. Mr. Young stated that he was a signer as was Mrs. Martin.

Mr. Millard asked Mr. Young to explain the steps he went through to move the money from Fulton Bank to Commerce Bank. Mr. Young said it was decided to move the funds from one bank to the other for a higher rate of interest. He said he, Mrs. Martin, and Mr. Salisbury went to Commerce Bank to make the arrangements and then Fulton Bank wired the funds.

Mr. Millard asked who made the deposits for the Authority. Mr. Young said that Mrs. Martin was responsible for making deposits.

Mr. Millard asked who was bonded. Mrs. Martin responded saying that she was the only one bonded in the amount of $100,000. Mr. Millard said he believed that Mrs. Martin should be bonded for about $1 million since she would have access to the funds. Mrs. Martin responded saying that she did not handle more than $100,000 per month in deposits and that checks had to be signed by two signers as did any withdrawals that were made. Mr. Young said no questions were raised by the auditors about the amount of the bond. He further said that he would check into bonding the officers of the Authority.

Mr. Millard asked if Rhodes and Sinon submitted monthly invoices. Mr. Young said he would explain again that Rhodes and Sinon was on retainer and that the Authority paid $1,250 per month for legal services. He said to date, the legal expenses incurred have not exceeded the retainer amount.

Intermunicipal Agreement Between Lower Paxton and West Hanover Township. Mr. Millard asked Mr. Long for a status on the Intermunicipal Agreement between Lower Paxton and West Hanover Township. Mr. Young said the Authority had nothing to do with that agreement; it was between the two Townships and had to be dealt with by the respective Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Long said he had not heard anything from either municipality since he wrote a memo in late 2000 advising how the process should be done and also the costs for him to draft the agreement. Mr. Millard said he had not seen the memorandum and asked Mrs. Zimmerman whether or not she had. Mrs. Zimmerman responded saying that she had asked Ken Gross to meet with Bill Hawk, chairman of the Lower Paxton Board of Supervisors, regarding the agreement. Mr. Long said that he did meet with both gentlemen, discussed the matter, and told them the terms. Mr. Long said he had received no authorization to draft the agreement from either party. Mrs. Zimmerman said she also met with Mr. Hawk approximately six weeks ago and told him that the Board of Supervisors was interested in getting the agreement completed.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Don Niland, 6916 Devonshire Heights Road. Mr. Niland asked what the amount of the deductible was for the insurance claim. Mr. Young said the amount was $750.

Mr. Niland said he thought that if Mr. Long had issued a memorandum that the matter should have been presented to the Board of Supervisors as a whole. He said the two supervisors present said they had not seen the memorandum referred to by Mr. Long. Mr. Young said the Authority’s solicitor was not formally hired by either municipality to do the work and that he didn’t believe Mr. Long should proceed without knowing who was going to reimburse him. Mr. Long said he had advised the Boards to forward a check, which would be a retainer to begin drafting the agreement. Mr. Niland asked when Mr. Long had done that. Mr. Long responded saying that he had notified them several months ago, meaning Mr. Hawk and Mr. Gross, who were the representatives for their respective Boards. Mrs. Zimmerman said that Mr. Hawk had contacted her and asked to meet with her, which she did. Mrs. Zimmerman said she made no decisions. She said Mr. Hawk went over some items with her and she responded to Mr. Hawk stating that the two boards would have to meet.

REPORTS

Mark Salisbury, Treatment Plant Superintendent. Mr. Salisbury submitted a written report, which is attached to the Minutes.

Mr. Millard questioned the number of EDUs in Mr. Salisbury’s report versus the amount of income from tapping fees shown on the Income/Expense Statement for March 2001. Mr. Salisbury said that the Authority collected seven tapping fees in March 2001 and that the amount shown on the Income/Expense Statement represented additional tapping fees billed to several businesses, including Gables, McDonald’s, Speedco, Pilot Corporation. He said the additional EDUs were based on increased water usage at those locations during the past year.

Karen Tupper, Authority Engineer. Mrs. Tupper submitted a written report, which is attached to the Minutes.

Robert Long, Authority Solicitor. Mr. Long had no report.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Young announced that the next regular meeting of the Authority would be moved to Tuesday, May 22, 2001, since the next regularly scheduled meeting fell on Election Day—May 15, 2001.

Mrs. Zimmerman moved, seconded by Mr. Wingeard, to adjourn the meeting. The motion was unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

Gail A. Martin,

Recording Secretary