TREVORTON - Zerbe Township plans on using a variety of methods in the coming months in order to alleviate debt several customers have accrued in sewer bills.
At its meeting Monday night, the township's board of supervisors discussed the number of delinquent accounts, which decreased last month, but still remain high.
"Last month, we had a number of residents make payments on their bills," secretary Ellen Troutman said. "We also received 37 'no replies' to our letters, all from those with the highest amounts."
Those 37 range from a debt of $1,000 to $5,000. All total, it comes to approximately $45,000 owed, down from $70,000 a month prior.
The supervisors discussed several methods to try to collect the fees, ranging from putting a municipal lien on the properties, contracting a collection agency, suing them through a magisterial district judge or having the water company shut off service.
"We are working on a contract with Aqua Pennsylvania, and there are a couple of sticking points that need to be ironed out," solicitor Roger Wiest. "The biggest problem is a clause saying that we pay any lost revenue to the water company if we have them shut off the water. We will not accept that."
The board instructed Wiest to continue negotiating with Aqua Pa. while Troutman was instructed to contact collection agencies to see what kind of terms could be worked out.
"Even if its a 50-50 split, its still money coming into Zerbe Township,' board chairman Michael Schwartz said.
In other business:
- A security camera system was purchased from Diebold for the municipal building and tot lot at a cost of $6,960. The system will help catch vandals at the playground, which has been damaged twice since being installed.
The township's recreation committee will donate $1,800 toward the purchase.
- The board accepted the resignation of assistant sewer plant operator Steve Stiely.
- Permission was given to Line Mountain Elementary School to use the recreation area on May 18 for its annual Field Day, and May 22 through May 24 for a Summer Olympics event for Kindergarten through fourth grade and a sixth grade end-of-the-year picnic.