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MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 AUTHORITY MEETING The meeting of the Hamburg Municipal Authority was held this evening at the Hamburg Municipal Center with Chairman Dave Fink presiding. The meeting started at 7:05 p.m. Members Present - Stephen A. Smith, David A. Fink, Roger G. Kuhns, Stephen H. Blefgen Members Absent - Stanley E. Dietrich, Judy E. Romig Also Present - Joan E. London-Tilden Township Solicitor, Richard L. Guida-Attorney for GSP Management, Gregory T. Unger-SDE, Charles F. Fitzpatrick-Solicitor, Lynda G. Albright-Borough Manager,Denise L. Clare-Secretary A motion was made by Dave Fink and seconded by Roger Kuhns to approve the August minutes as presented. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None The Trustee Treasurer’s, Administrative Treasurer’s, and M & T Trustee Report reports were reviewed.Dave Fink asked why the fire hydrant account was still intact. Greg Unger stated that he has the bill tonight. ACCT. # Account Name Bal.-Jul. 08 Credits Debits Bal.-Aug. 08 1576025802 Water-2001 Settlement Fund $ 0.00 $ 0.00 1576025820 Water-1995 Revenue Fund $ 0.00 $ 0.00 1576025839 Water-2001 Debt Service $ 701.06 $ 1.01 $ 702.07 1576025848 Water-2001 Debt Ser. Res. Fund $228,944.95 $ 329.97 $229,274.92 1576025857 Water-2001 B, R, & I $532,153.29 $ 768.63 ($3,895.00) $532,921.92 1576025866 Water-1995 Rebate Fund $ 0.00 $ 0.00 HAMBURG MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY OPERATING WATER/SEWER ACCOUNT ACTIVITY August 1, 2008 to August 31, 2008 Water Revenue Account – Balance on August 1, 2008 $ 456,534.34 Water Sales/Penalties $ 53,865.47 Cert Fees, Constable Fees, Final Fees $ 222.00 Miscellaneous $ 1,819.92 Interest $ 767.26
$ 513,208.99 Less Paid Out $ (30,671.60) Balance in Treasury – August 31, 2008 $ 482,537.39 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wissahickon Water Account – Balance on August 1, 2008 $ 144,465.96 Fire hydrant fees/penalties $ Interest $ 216.39 $ 216.39 $ 144,682.35
Less Paid Out $ ( 0.00) Balance In Treasury – August 31, 2008 $ 144,682.35 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fire Hydrant Account – Balance on August 1, 2008 $ 203,367.48 Fire hydrant fees/penalties $ 2,251.03 Interest $ 307.91 $ 2,558.94 $ 205,926.42 Less Paid Out $ ( 3,872.79) Balance In Treasury – August 31, 2008 $ 202,053.63 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hamburg Area SD Account - Balance on August 1, 2008 $ 2,525.76 Deposit Interest $ 3.69
Balance in Treasury – August 31, 2008 $ 2,529.45 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sewer Revenue Account – Balance on August 1, 2008 $ 290,255.81 Sewer Rentals/Penalties $ 63,115.67 WTMA Rentals/Penalties $ 9,030.40 Miscellaneous $ 1,144.36 Interest $ 593.72
$ 364,139.96 Less Paid Out $ ( 47,726.14) Less Transfer to M & T Bank – August 11, 22 $ ( 64,228.10) Balance in Treasury – August 31, 2008 $ 252,185.72 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tilden Township Account – Balance on August 1, 2008 $ 33,412.52 Tilden Rentals/Penalties $ Tilden Debt Service $11,156.63 Engineering Fees Reimbursement $21,765.57 Interest $ 50.03 $ 32,972.23 $ 66,384.75 Less Paid Out Less Transfer to M & T Bank- August 29 $ ( 11,156.63) Balance in Treasury – August 31, 2008 $ 55,228.12 BOROUGH TREASURERACCT. # Account Name Bal.-Jun. 08 Credits Debits Bal.-Jul. 08 2002688 Sewer-2006 Settlement Fund $ 0.00 $ 0.00 2002689 Sewer-2006 Revenue Fund $516,810.12 $76,389.39 ($19,883.50) $ 573,316.01 2002690 Sewer-2006 B, R, & I $ 53,811.39 $ 80.28 $ 53,891.67 2002691 Sewer-2006 Construction Fund $ 1,082.01 $ 1.54 $ 1,083.55 2002692 Sewer-2006 Debt Service Fund $ 50,235.65 $ 19,951.73 ($ 19,883.50) $ 50,303.88 2002693 Sewer-2006 Debt Ser. Res. Fund $511,646.61 $ 695.06 $512,341.67 2002879 Sewer Note - CF $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Hamburg, PA September 17, 2008 7:00 p.m. A motion was made by Roger Kuhns and seconded by Steve Blefgen to approve the Trustee Treasurer’s, Administrative Treasurer’s, and M & T Trustee reports as presented. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None HAMBURG MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY ENGINEER’S REPORT September 17, 2008
SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM
WATER SYSTEM
Hamburg, PA September 17, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Greg Unger reported that we are now receiving flow from the Tilden Township School. Greg Unger stated that the Wissahickon/Trident auction was yesterday. Were the contents and building sold? No one had heard what happened. Greg Unger reported that the work on the weir has started. Greg Unger stated that there is an 8 x 8 x 10 brick building at the water plant. It is not being used and wondered if it should be torn down. He indicated that he work could be done as part of the weir work while the construction trucks are there. Greg Unger will work with DESCCO to get this done. Greg Unger has 2 change orders that need approval for the Walnut & Second water line replacement. One is for the 2" to 6" service line. Some lines were not replaced because they go to an abandoned building. The other is for excavating and repaving to find a line. $10,200-credit=$4,780 total change amount. A motion was made by Steve Blefgen and seconded by Dave Fink to approve the change orders as presented. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None Greg Unger received a call from Craig Correll from Met-Ed asking to come to a meeting. Greg Unger recommended meeting with them and Charles Fitzpatrick to resolve issues. Greg Unger stated that the Sewer Trust Indenture information needs to be approved so it can be sent. It is the 2007 history and 2008 projections. A motion was made by Dave Fink and seconded by Roger Kuhns to send the report. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None Greg Unger recommended starting the budget earlier and setting rates at the November meeting since the report is due in by December 15. Steve Smith stated work sessions should be scheduled in between meetings to discuss the budgets. VISITORS (scheduled for 7:30 p.m.) Joan London, representing Tilden Twp. and Richard Guida, representing the mobile home park, were in attendance to a request the extension of water service into Tilden Township for phase 6 & 7 of the Pleasant Hills Mobile Home Park. It was asked if there is capacity. Charles Fitzpatrick asked if there were other areas of Tilden where water service is wanted. Is there a place in Tilden Township to drill a well? Joan London stated that she would have to check into this. Charles Fitzpatrick stated that sources currently being used should be made known for the Authority to consider. Joan London stated that the park is currently being supplied by private wells. Charles Fitzpatrick stated that the numbers should be provided. Greg Unger asked if there were issues that the wells cannot serve the new areas. Greg Unger stated that existing customers come first before expansion. Joan London asked if the Authority thought about expanding. Charles Fitzpatrick stated that the Authority has tried drilling at several places with no luck. Charles Fitzpatrick stated that the Authority is reluctant to cross the river to supply water to the mobile home park which would cause a serious drain in low levels and that existing customers come first. Joan London asked if the Authority explored water sources in Tilden Township. Charles Fitzpatrick stated that the Authority has not. Charles Fitzpatrick will send a letter with this information for a hearing. Charles Fitzpatrick asked why the mobile home park is interested in public water and not private. It would be less expensive to not go across the river. At this time (7:45 p.m.) Joan London and Richard Guida left the meeting. Greg Unger discussed a water doomsday scenario. The dam is low (like it is currently) and Well 5 stops. Greg Unger did a report on uses and history of capacity. In 2004 the numbers were bad. The minimum per day to supply the system is 490,000 gallons. All water sources (Wells 2-5 & the surface source) are rated at 420,000 gpd each. Greg Unger asked the Authority if they were interested in looking for another water source and if so what about the other side of the river. Roger Kuhns asked about extending the dam height. Greg Unger stated that this could be extended but would not be a new source. Lynda Albright asked about using the wells at Wissahickon. Greg Unger stated they produce about 100,000 gpd and the Authority would have to condemn them and deal with wellhead protection. This would be an issue. Steve Blefgen stated that the wells are a selling point. Steve Blefgen suggested getting the pieces of history together and get a fracture study done. Also look for a well location or alternate sources. A motion was made by Steve Blefgen and seconded by Roger Kuhns to direct SDE to update the water resources study and evaluate potential future water sites. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None Steve Blefgen asked if the dam is empty why there are no voluntary restrictions in place. Greg Unger replied that the State does not have one in effect. Greg Unger stated that it could be advertised to see what happens. Dave Fink stated that anytime the wells are in use restrictions should be in place (10%). Charles Fitzpatrick reported the he and Greg Unger had a meeting with Tilden Township regarding the 3rd addendum. A rate structure could not be agreed upon. Tilden Township questioned the expenses they could be responsible for. Discussion was held regarding the Hamburg Municipal Authority taking over the Tilden Township sewer system after completion. The Authority would own the system and have total control (same as Windsor Twp.) Customers would be billed individually and there would be no more bulk metering. The structure of the Hamburg Municipal Authority would not change and the Authority would control rates, the areas served and the sewer system. There was discussion on this topic. Direction was given to Greg Unger and Charles Fitzpatrick to pursue acquisition of the Tilden Township sewer system.SOLICITOR’S REPORT Charles Fitzpatrick reported that the EPA agreement for land use license has been prepared and sent to John Banks for his review. Charles Fitzpatrick stated that Wissahickon is in bankruptcy. The Authority has a lien filed against the property. BOROUGH MANAGER’S REPORT Lynda Albright stated that she received a letter from Larry Becker requesting sewer relief. A pipe broke between his house and garage and the water went into the ground. A motion was made by Dave Fink and seconded by Steve Blefgen to give sewer relief to Larry Becker as requested. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None Lynda Albright reported that there will be fire hydrant flushing in the south ward & Edenburg on October 6 & 7 and in the north ward on October 8 & 9. Lynda Albright received an email from Larry Gallagher from the PA Game Commission regarding suggested planting and watershed issues. Also submitted were photos of partying at the watershed. Dave Fink asked where the picture was taken. It is below Cold Springs. Dave Fink stated that vegetation will not grow under hemlocks. Copies of wage information for employees working in the water and sewer systems were handed out. The following letter from Lynda Albright was read by Steve Smith: This is to advise that the terms of office for the following member(s) of the Hamburg Municipal Authority will expire December 31, 2008: Stanley Dietrich Please let Kim Y. Berger, Office Manager know the Board’s recommendations for appointments by November 7, 2008. CORRESPONDENCE NOTES FOR 9/17/08 AUTHORITY MEETING
to control grass and vegetation. Copy of letter from SDE sent to Wexcon, Inc. dated 9/3/08 advising of the Intent to Award bid items 1, 2 and 3. Letter to the Authority from Trident (represents MRM Property Liability) regarding our claim for the water main break on South 4th Street at Route 61. Unfortunately they have to deny our claim. Lynda Albright stated the #5 was only received today. Charles Fitzpatrick received a voice mail that Shartlesville’s insurance company is checking into it. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT Water/Wastewater Superintendent’s Report August 2008 While we have, continued to blend surface and well water through August, we have reached the end of the available surface water and gone completely to wells as of August 28. This is later into the year than normal for having available surface water. PA DEP conducted a Filter Plant Performance Evaluation the 26th and 27th. This included additional monitoring of finished water, review of the process through interview and observation, and additional sampling. You may recall that this was done 3 years ago and the results of that evaluation were reviewed and compared to today’s operation. I believe the results of that comparison were very favorable. We have replaced several valves and actuators on the filters over the last few months and after much fine tuning they seem to be working well. Repairs have been made to South 4th Street in the area of the main break in July. This is a state road which required extensive repair. The waterline project on 2nd and Walnuts Streets has been substantially completed. The only thing remaining is having proper thread and nuts put on the fire hydrants. Wastewater Effluent quality remains excellent, and the plant is working very well. We continue to add soda ash for ph control within the aeration process. The staff has spent considerable time on cleaning of tanks and painting both at the plant and at pumping stations. Tilden’s contractor has made the connection to the force main and we expect to start receiving flow through it in the next few weeks. In the meantime the flow from the Tilden Elementary Center is being hauled to Tilden’s existing Pumping Station and put into the system there. We have completed and submitted the annual DMR Quality Assurance testing for USEPA. I attended a meeting with USEPA with regard to the lead remediation project throughout Hamburg. The presence of possible contamination throughout the Borough will impact training and operating procedures for both Authority and Borough well into the future. Respectfully Submitted
BILLS & REQUISITIONS A motion was made by Dave Fink and seconded by Steve Blefgen to pay the bills as presented. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None HAMBURG MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY BILLS TO BE PAID SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 AT & T w-monthly long distance $ 70.33 Barley/Snyder w-312.50-s-312.50 625.00 Borough of Hamburg w-84.18-s-180.76 264.94 Carus Phosphates w-CalciQuest 5,017.16 DelRosario, Roy C. w-constable fees 139.50 Duffey, T.A. w-backflow preventer 475.00 Hamburg Municipal Authority s-utility bill 39.50 Hart, Richard I., Inc. w-1387.50-s-1387.50 2,775.00 Kuzan’s True Value w-15.69-s-9.48 25.17 L/B Water Service Inc. w-supplies 416.38 Liquid Motion Inc. w-130.00-s-2742.00 2,872.00 Met-Ed w-1020.60-s-5548.34 6,568.94 Mickle-Milnor Equipment Co. s-gaskets 66.38 Mountain View Supply s-supplies 6.99 PA Department of Transportation w-inspection 4th & 61 626.09 PA One Call System, Inc. w-6.80-s-6.80 13.60 PPL Gas Utilities s-utility bills 206.58 Penn Pride, Inc. w-108.92-s-269.01 377.93 Quill Corporation w-103.17-s-117.90 221.07 Reider, MJ Associates w-laboratory services 506.00 Reider, MJ Associates s-laboratory services 905.00 Systems Design Engineering, Inc. w-8018.29-s-3398.01 11,416.30 Univar USA Inc. w-supplies 2,630.31 Verizon w-125.99-s-128.89 254.88 Wessner, Dick Paving w-repair street-4th & 61 14,700.00
TOTAL $51,220.05 Bills To Be Paid total water $ 35,419.41 total sewer $ 15,800.64 Bills Paid During The Month total water $ 17,390.32 total sewer $102,446.31
Grand Total For Approval total water $ 52,809.73 total sewer $118,246.95 $171,056.68 PREPAID INVOICE LIST HMA-Sewer Transfer s-sewer transfer $43,886.54 Kuzan’s Hardware w-12.46-s-106.39 118.85 HMA-Sewer Transfer s-sewer transfer 20,341.56 Clare, David A. w-meter reader 195.00 Miller, Ann M. w-meter reader 178.75 Saltzman, Debbie w-meter reader 119.60 HMA-Sewer Transfer s-sewer transfer 11,156.63 Borough of Hamburg w-16755.66-s-26826.34 43,582.00 Postmaster of Hamburg w-128.85-s-128.85 257.70
TOTAL $119,836.63 Lynda Albright stated that last month the bills for $783 for pickup use was reimbursed to the Authority account. Lynda Albright asked the Authority to reconsider paying these bills. Lynda Albright spoke to Rick Pickel (street superintendent) who said a majority of the truck use was the dump truck and not the pickup but charged the cheaper rate to save the Authority money. Of the 29 hours total 20-25 hours was the dump truck. Steve Blefgen asked for more description. Roger Kuhns wants to see the mileage and gas. Roger Kuhns asked if the Borough uses Authority equipment does the Authority charge the Borough? Lynda Albright stated that yes the Authority does bill for use of equipment. More discussion and explanation followed. A motion was made by Dave Fink and seconded by Steve Blefgen to pay the $783 for the pickup and dump truck use for patching. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Blefgen Nayes- Kuhns (Motion failed since there needs to be at least 4 ayes)
A motion was made by Roger Kuhns and seconded by Steve Blefgen to pay the requisitions as presented. ROLL CALL: Ayes- Smith, Fink, Kuhns, Blefgen Nayes- None Steve Smith stated that a budget in final form needs to be adopted at the November meeting. Steve Smith stated that everyone should attend a work session to accomplish this. A work session will be held on October 7 at 7:00 p.m. NEW BUSINESS None OLD BUSINESS None There being no further business, a motion was made by Steve Blefgen and seconded by Roger Kuhns to adjourn the meeting at 9:23 p.m. Attest: Denise L. Clare, Recording Secretary |
