Uniontown borrows to separate sewer systems
Uniontown City Council unanimously agreed to borrow $5.7 million from a local bank to separate the city’s combined sanitary and storm water sewer system and to advertise the projects. Council also approved on Tuesday the first reading of an ordinance that would require storm water management plans for all development in the city.
The two short-term loans, or interim financing, will serve as lines of credit to pay bills from contractors and engineers. After the bills are paid, the city will submit them to the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) for reimbursement, Councilman Robert Cerjanec said.
PENNVEST awarded the city two low-interest loans for the separation project. The interim financing loans from PNC Bank in Uniontown are for the same amounts as the PENNVEST loans.
A $4,311,600 loan is for installation of almost a mile of new sewer interceptor lines and replacement of more than three-quarters of a mile of deteriorated collection lines.
A $1,464,000 loan is for nearly two miles of new storm sewer lines and inlets.
The combined system was built between 1900 and 1950 and directs storm water runoff and sewage through the same lines to the plant. Runoff from heavy rains can result in the overflow and discharge of sewage into Redstone Creek.
The Department of Environmental Protection ordered Uniontown, North Union Township and South Union Township, which share the system, to correct the problem.
Separating the storm and sanitary lines, and expanding the treatment plant were the solution agreed upon in a consent order with the DEP.
In July PENNVEST awarded the Greater Uniontown Joint Sewage Authority, which operates the plant, a $14.8-million low-interest loan to expand and upgrade the treatment plant. The expansion will double the plant capacity to 8 million gallons per day.
In unrelated business, council approved the transfer of a license to serve liquor to the Hong Kong Buffet, 954 Morgantown Road, in the Uniontown Shopping Center, subject to approval from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
Council unanimously approved the transfer with Councilman Gary Crozier abstaining. Councilman Joseph Giachetti was absent.
The transfer would come from Alretta’s Inc., 719 Narrows Road, Upper Tyrone Township, according to attorney Gary Frankhouser, who represented Hong Kong Buffet owner Mei Fang Wang during a hearing on the matter held prior to the council meeting.
Frankhouser said Alretta’s is no longer in business.
Nobody attended the hearing to object to the transfer. City solicitor Dan Webster said notices about the hearing were given to neighboring businesses last week.
Frankhouser submitted a letter from the shopping center landlord, which has no objection to the license.
Wang explained to council that she will not operate a bar in the restaurant, which has been open for about 8 1/2 years. Instead, beer and wine will be available for sale with meals. Waiters or waitresses would bring the drinks to customers, she said.
She also said there are no plans to change the restaurant’s business hours if the LCB approves the transfer. Wang said she closes at 10 or 10:30 p.m. depending on how busy the restaurant is.
“I can assure you she has a very nice place,” Councilman Blair Jones said.