MINUTES

 STORMWATER AUTHORITY                                           LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP

REGULAR MEETING                                                          DECEMBER 5, 2019

                                                                                                             

The following were in ATTENDANCE:

STORMWATER AUTHORITY BOARD                        TOWNSHIP PERSONNEL

Gordon E. Wilson, Chairman                                                Rebecca Davis, MS4 Coordinator

Timothy Johnson, Vice Chairman                                        

Lloyd Bucher, Treasurer                                                 

Alison J Shuler, Secretary

Richard Schin, Assistant Secretary

 

 

Chairman Wilson called the December 5, 2019 Regular Meeting of the Stormwater Authority to order at 8:13 pm. He announced that Proof of Publication was available for review. Tina Thomas completed a Roll Call of the Board members present. 

 

MEETING MINUTES

Mr. Bucher moved to approve the minutes from the November 7, 2019 meeting of the Stormwater Authority. Mr. Schin seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.

 

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

None.

 

LATSA Board Member Reappointment Nominations for 2020

Ms. Alison Shuler is the only member of the Stormwater Authority whose term is expiring. She wished to remain on the Board and be recommended for reappointment. Mr. Schin moved to have Chairman Wilson submit a letter to the Township recommending reappointing Alison Shuler to the Stormwater Authority Board and Mr. Bucher seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0-1 with an Abstention by Ms. Shuler.

 

AUTHORITY APPOINTMENT NOMINATIONS FOR 2020

Mr. Wilson appointed Ms. Shuler, as a nominating committee of one, to present [the] nominations. Nominations are as follows:

• Chairman – Gordon Wilson
• Vice Chairman – Timothy Johnson
• Treasurer – Lloyd Bucher
• Assistant Treasurer – Richard Schin
• Secretary – Alison Shuler

Ms. Shuler also recommended retaining Mr. Steve Miner, Esq., as Township Solicitor and Tina Thomas as Recording Secretary. Ms. Shuler presented the above nominations to Chairman Wilson. Mr. Bucher moved to close the nominations and cast a unanimous vote for all appointees.  Mr. Schin seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0.

SOLICITOR’S REPORT

Mr. Miner discussed stormwater fee resolution and the copy of the Sewer Authority’s Fee Resolution (Exhibit B) which he provided to the Board. He explained that itemizing the various legal and filing fees will help when liens are filed. Mr. Miner said he does not need to have a hearing to file the lien. He would like to fairly assess what the collection fees are so that the Township can be reimbursed for legal fees when the account is paid by the customer. He stated that the Stormwater Authority is approaching its fourth quarter and nearing time to take action on delinquent accounts. Mr. Miner will have the necessary documentation prepared for the January meeting of the Stormwater Authority. The Board could wait until January to vote on the motion. Mrs. Davis requested, on behalf of Mr. Vernau, to have the motion approved at the current meeting. It would allow the item to be included in the Township fee schedule for 2020 so the Township Board of Commissioners would not have to make an amendment later. Ms. Shuler moved to approve the addition of Exhibit B to the Stormwater Fee Resolution and Mr. Bucher seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.

 

Mr. Miner then addressed the upcoming Peiffer Arboretum appeal at the Court of Common Pleas in Cumberland County on January 13^th. He encouraged the Stormwater Board to attend if available.

 

Mr. Miner spoke about the work Mrs. Davis accomplished in successfully negotiating with the Beacon Hill Homeowners Association to begin the retrofit project. Mrs. Davis said that there is a retention basin located in Beacon Hill Phase Two at the rear of Sconset and Lowell Lanes. It is one of the ten basins in the Pollution Reduction Plan that must be retrofitted. It is currently owned by the Homeowners Association and the Township will need an easement to work there. The HOA agreed to sign the documents for that. Mrs. Davis is also applying for a grant through Growing Greener Plus which is due December 20^th. The work has to be completed with, or without, the grant. She will update the Stormwater Authority with progress and transfers of funds that will be required to complete it. The estimated cost is $105,000. Mr. Miner said that the easement will need to be permanent as the retrofit will need maintenance.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Mrs. Davis said that the Treasurer’s Report will be available at the January meeting as Mr. Grove, the Finance Director, is reconciling it based on year end amounts. The financial transfers to this point have been based on budgeted amounts, but now there is actual data which must be reconciled. Mr. Grove provided Mrs. Davis with the cash value which is $793,526.00 as of November 30^th. The receivables amount is $266,452.00. Mrs. Davis stated that there are 600 delinquent residential and commercial customers. She mentioned the importance of Exhibit B as discussed above. As of January 1, 2020, the end of the third quarter, delinquent accounts will receive a notice of unpaid balance. After four quarters, a notice of delinquency will be sent out. After another fifteen days, a lien can be filed.

 

MS4 COORDINATOR REPORT

Mrs. Davis stated that to date for 2019 there are 88 credits and 23 appeals for stormwater. The latest appeal is from the Triple Crown Corporation. They took ownership of a subdivision when the builder went bankrupt. This includes a vacant parcel on Woods Way which they say is owned by the Homeowners Association. That is the basis is their appeal. It is however, owned by Triple Crown Corporation.

 

ANY OTHER BUSINESS PERTINENT TO THE AUTHORITY:

Mr. Wilson asked if there were any updates on getting the prison to pay their stormwater fee. Mrs. Davis stated that she, Mr. Vernau, and members of CAPCOG are going to be meeting with elected State officials Cheryl Delozier and Mike Regan on December 10^th at 10 am. They will be discussing how best to handle the state organizations that are not paying. Mr. Wilson commented that since the prison pays the sewer fee, they should pay the stormwater fee. Mr. Miner spoke about the difficulty in getting PennDOT to pay their fee. Mrs. Davis said that there are no Best Management Practices along Interstate 83 in Lower Allen Township or any other state owned road. It is managed with inlets but there is no treatment of the stormwater to remove pollutants. Mrs. Davis will update the Board on the results of her upcoming meeting.

 

ADJOURNMENT

There being no more business, Mr. Wilson adjourned the Stormwater Authority meeting at 8:50 pm. The next meeting of the Stormwater Authority will take place on Thursday January 9^th.   

Respectfully submitted,

Tina Thomas

Recording Secretary