A special meeting of the Middle Smithfield Township Municipal Authority and Middle Smithfield Township Board of Supervisors was called to order on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 6:00 pm at the Schoonover Municipal Building. Perry M. Henley and Scott R. Schaller presiding.

 

Members present: Perry M. Henley, Jack O’Rourke, Fed May, Mickey Roth, Oscar Woerlein, Scott Schaller, Ronald Clewell, and Bob Spano.

 

Also present were: Richard Deetz, Jennifer Wise, Fred Courtright, Dr. Frank Browne, Robyn Pugh, Dave Scholtz, Michele Clewell and several interested parties.

 

Perry M. Henley called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

 

Fred May made a motion to approve the March 20, 2008 Authority minutes. Jack O’Rourke second the motion. The motion carried 5-0.

 

Mickey Roth made a motion to approve the listed Authority payables. Oscar Woerlein second the motion. The motion carried 5-0. Jack O’Rourke questioned the Met Ed bill from last month. Dave Scholtz stated that he will continue to research the increase and report his findings when available.

 

Derstine Co. LLC

 

       500.00

        500.00

3927

approved 2/20/08

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allstate Septic

      225.00

 

        225.00

3928

 

Coyne Chemical

   2,245.00

 

     2,245.00

3929

 

FX Browne, Inc

 

       780.00

        780.00

3930

 

Hendershot Door Systems

 

       900.00

        900.00

3931

 

Middle Smithfield Township

      421.39

     1,991.45

     2,412.82

3932

 

Riley and Company Inc

 

     4,400.00

     4,400.00

3933

 

Strand Pool Supply

   1,158.75

       573.50

     1,732.25

3934

 

Tops Software

        28.04

         56.91

          84.95

3935

 

Verizon

 

       236.23

        236.23

3936

 

Waste Management

 

     2,198.44

     2,198.44

3937

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Bills

   4,078.18

   11,636.53

   15,714.69

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solicitors Report

Richard Deetz summarized the history of properties sold between Lennar Corp., Omega Homes and Summer Glen Partners. Richard Deetz stated that the goal of the Municipal Authority is to have all the paperwork straightened out and the agreements signed. Mr. Deetz stated that it is his recommendation to continue holding Lennar Corps. letter of credit as the Authority does not have Omega Homes or Summer Glens letters’ of credit. Mr. Glenn McDonald of Lennar Corp stated that his company is in agreement Attorney Deetz’s recommendation. No action was required. This item is to remain on the agenda.

 

Richard Deetz summarized the proposed Sale of Connections Rights Ordinance. A majority of the Supervisors stated that they would like to change the reimbursement for tapping fees to 100% instead of the 50% as recommended by the Authority.  After further discussion the Board of Supervisors stated that they will support the 50% reimbursement as recommended by the Municipal Authority.

 

Scott Schaller wanted to know if the Authority could lower the 200 gpd to 180 gpd. Mr. Courtright stated that in order to do that you have a monitor the flow rates with individual meters. Mr. Schaller asked if the Authority could investigate meters for commercial businesses. Dr. Browne stated that he will provide the costs for meters at the next meeting.

 

Engineers Report

Dr. F. X. Browne of F.X. Browne Inc. provided the effluent criteria for 1 MGD plant expansion resulting from the meeting with the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC.) DRBC stated that the Municipal Authority must meet the water quality of the stream when it discharges its effluent.  Since our discharge hits the National Park Services water we must meet their water quality as the water is “Outstanding Basin Water” of the United States. Dr. Browne stated that we can not meet the effluent criteria required by DRBC and no one else can do it either, as no reliable, economically feasible treatment process can meet the criteria numbers.

 

Dr. Browne stated that the 1 MGD sewage treatment plant is grandfathered for only 1 MGD. Anything added to this plant must meet the new criteria.

 

There are some options that were discussed. Spray or drip irrigation on golf courses, spray or drip irrigation on non-developed land. Spray or drip irrigation on non-developed land would require 360 acres to discharge 1 MGD. A holding area would be required for the effluent when the golf course does not want the discharge or when weather does not permit spraying.

 

Pond Creek and Marshalls Creek were considered. Either one would require membrane filtration and reverse osmosis. Dr. Browne stated that Pond Creek and Marshalls Creek are classified as high quality water. The third option is a combination of the above.

 

Attorney Deetz questioned if the National Park Service would give us land to spray irrigate. Dr. Browne said “no”, we would need an act of the United States Congress.

 

There were questions regarding the soils at the Fernwood golf course. Dr. Browne stated that some are good for spray, but most are not.

 

Dr. Browne stated an option could also be a lot of mini treatment plant spraying seven months out of the year and the remaining time the effluent would be held in a lagoon. The lagoons are expensive because of the liners. However, Dr. Browne stated that he would not recommend spray irrigation if we could only spray seven months out of the year, we would want it longer.

 

Scott Schaller inquired if a sewage treatment plant must be in your own township. Dr. Browne stated that in order to build a treatment plant in another township, the applicant would be required to obtain approval of the Act 537 Plan from the intended township

 

Mr. Schaller stated that we should be corresponding with the NPS and DRBC and begin looking at the criteria to work on the southern end of the township for a 500,000 sewage treatment plant. 

 

Dr. Browne stated that if the decision is made to move forward with using Pond Creek to discharge, he is 90% sure it can be done. He requested one month to guarantee if using Pond Creek is feasible.  

 

After further discussion Mickey Roth made a motion directing F.X. Browne Inc. to contact DRBC and PA DEP regarding criteria for discharging effluent in Pond Creek, look into large properties for spray irrigation and recommend the Board of Supervisors set up a meeting with the Municipal Authority, National Park Service, Fred Courtright and Dr. F. X. Browne. Oscar Woerlein second the motion. The motion carried 5-0.

 

Fred Courtright requested the Authority approve the first payment to the McElwee Group for work completed on the Winona Lakes STP in the amount of $9,900.00. Fred May made a motion to approve the payment of $9,900.00 for the March 19, 2008 meeting. Jack O’Rourke second the motion. The motion carried 5-0.

 

There being no further business the meeting adjourned in regular order at 8:55 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Michele Clewell, Recording Secretary

March 6, 2008

 

 

Perry M. Henley _____________________________

 

Jack O’Rourke ______________________________

 

Fred May __________________________________

 

Mickey Roth _______________________________

 

Oscar Woerlein _____________________________