SHAMOKIN - A letter from the joint sewer authority irked two councilman enough for them call for changes to the board.
R. Craig Rhoades and Michael Snyder were each nonspecific during Wednesday's workshop session of city council of how exactly to change the board, but both said something should be done.
"We need to change the board," Snyder said bluntly.
"It's totally wrong for either entity to be responsible for those costs," Rhoades said. "The board needs changed."
Rhoades was referencing a letter from the authority that serves as fair warning of sorts for rules and regulations that could be adopted as resolution by the authority board.
The letter says both the city and Coal Township would be responsible to provide engineering and construction plans for any new connections into the authority's existing lines.
The municipalities could also be subject to fees for review of project plans and on-site inspection of any interconnections.
Coal Township is looking to place a new line on Chemung Street and connect to the system.
The city has no plans as of yet to tap into the sewer system with a new line.
Bartos noted that word of the potential fees come weeks after the township and city, the latter of which needed more convincing than the former, each guaranteed a $17.6 million loan related to the upgrade and expansion of the existing sewer plant.
Each municipality appoints representatives to the six-member authority board to serve staggered terms.
Darwin Tobias, Dave Kopitsky Jr. and Joe Wightman represent Shamokin. Mike Carpenter, Ed Christiano and Phil Zalar are all appointees representing Coal Township.
Tobias and Kopitsky were unaware of the councilmen's objections and wished not to comment Sunday. Wightman was unavailable for comment.
Other business
City council meets at 7 p.m. tonight at city hall. Among other issues, they're expected to address the following:
- Vote to seek bids for the replacement of the city's 650 parking meters;
- Open bids and possibly award a contract for the installation of sidewalks at Claude E. Kehler Community Park;
- Vote on a new cell phone proposal from Verizon Wireless that includes an 18 percent discount and no annual contract;
- Consider allowing students of the city's mock council to manage $5,000 for the establishment of a youth center in the basement of the American Legion Building. The students are expected to pursue fundraising projects to build on the capital allotted by the city.