MINUTES  

STORMWATER AUTHORITY                                          LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP  

REGULAR MEETING                                                          FEBRUARY 6, 2020 

 

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 February 6, 2020 Regular Meeting of the Stormwater Authority to order at 7:50 pm. He announced that Proof of Publication was available for review. Tina Thomas completed a Roll Call of the Board members present.   

 

MEETING MINUTES  

Mrs. Shuler moved to approve the minutes from the January 9, 2020 meeting of the Stormwater Authority. Mr. Bucher seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.  

 

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION 

None. 

 

SOLICITOR’S REPORT 

Mr. Miner stated that he was going to provide his report in Executive Session. Due to no one being present in the audience, he went ahead with his report on the status of the Pieffer Arboretum Stormwater Appeal.  

 

STORMWATER PROGRAM MANAGER REPORT 

Credit and Appeals Summary 

Mrs. Davis stated that no new appeals have come in. The Shumans have applied for a credit for a riparian buffer on their property. This will be on next month’s agenda.  

 

WIP Meeting 

Mrs. Davis also spoke about attending the WIP Meeting, which is the County’s Watershed Implementation Planning meeting. This is being enforced by DEP who has passed the responsibility on to the counties. Any municipality in Cumberland County was invited to attend the meeting. Mr. Schin and Mr. Flint also attended the meeting with Mrs. Davis. They are looking for areas where efforts could be made to reduce nitrogen runoff which eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay. They are interested in finding property owners who would be willing to implement BMP’s (or best management practices) on their property. The municipalities would be responsible for finding the property owners. Mrs. Davis said that there is another WIP meeting in April where they will be forming subcommittees and she has been asked to be on the stormwater committee representing Cumberland County.  

 Mr. Schin asked if there was anything that the Township could do regarding the overgrown detention basin along Gettysburg Road that is owned by the state. Mrs. Davis agreed with Mr. Johnson that technically PennDOT is out of compliance with their MS4 permit for not inspecting their facilities annually or performing maintenance. Mrs. Davis also commented on the lack of information provided on the streams in Lower Allen Township that are considered to be impaired. The location of the testing and laboratory data is not available. The County will be hiring a consultant to help with implementation of WIP. They will be using a CAST software to map areas in the County and determine where the best areas for Nitrogen reduction would be. They will then work with municipalities and land owners to accomplish this.  

 

Basin Retrofit Projects 

Mrs. Davis said that bids for the basin retrofit projects are ready to go out and have been approved to be advertised by the Board of Commissioners. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring for Sheepford West and the Public Works Basin. Mrs. Davis will be monitoring the construction to make sure it is done correctly. She spoke about teaming with Chesapeake Bay Foundation to use trees that they have available for planting for a riparian buffer. Some will be going to Allendale where there is a privately owned vacant lot.  

 

2019-2020 LATSA Audit Proposal 

Mrs. Davis spoke about a quote for an audit that has been reviewed by the Finance Director and Township Manager. The Township’s auditing agency, Brown, Shultz, Sheridan & Fritz, has offered to do the audit for two years for $3,500 – $3,600. Chairman Wilson does not feel that Township staff should be involved in the auditing process. Mr. Miner pointed out that an auditor can’t prepare an analysis so it falls to the Township Manager, Finance Director, and Mrs. Davis to prepare the report for the auditors. Mrs. Davis said that she had to provide the auditors with a lot of information already in order to obtain the proposal.  

 Mr. Schin moved to approve the auditors and authorize the Chairman to sign the letter. Mr. Bucher seconded the motion and the motion carried 5-0.  

 

TREASURER’S REPORT 

Mr. Bucher said that there was no revenue last month as billing for this year has not taken place yet. He said there have been $7,700 worth of expenses. Mr. Bucher moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and Mrs. Shuler seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.  

 

ANY OTHER BUSINESS PERTINENT TO THE AUTHORITY: 

Chairman Wilson referred to a letter he provided from Silver Springs Township showing that their residents will be assessed a stormwater fee of $9.00 per month.  

 

ADJOURNMENT 

There being no more business, Mr. Wilson adjourned the Stormwater Authority meeting at 8:32 pm. The next meeting of the Stormwater Authority will take place on Thursday March 5th.    

  Respectfully submitted, 

  Tina Thomas