Jul 11, 2002 By J.S. Augustine For The 2 min read

WEST BROWNSVILLE – After many months of waiting, a verdict on the future of the Center-West Joint Sewerage Authority arrived this week, when board members announced that the federal Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has approved the authority’s grant application. Dan Kendall, chairman of the authority board, read a letter he received from Barb McMillan of RUS, who indicated that the authority is eligible for further financing and that funds will be available in August.

“All we have to do now is wait for President Bush to sign the Farm Bill plan on Aug. 1. Then, it’s up to Congress to release the money on Aug. 20,” said Kendall.

If the bill passes, the authority will receive $11,198,000 for a project that would bring a public sewer system to West Brownsville and portions of Centerville.

“I signed final documentation (for RUS) earlier this week to get things ready to roll so the authority can get sewerage for the area,” Kendall said.

West Brownsville Mayor Martin Brockman commended the authority on its “no quit” attitude and its effort to complete the project.

“I commend the authority on getting the project this far,” Brockman said. “A year or so ago the atmosphere was maybe we could or maybe we couldn’t.”

Chief project engineer Bob Bible said it will take the authority nearly a year to finalize the project layout. Construction could follow by fall 2003.

“Worst-case scenario, construction will begin in the spring of 2004,” Bible added.

Parts of Malden Hill, Maple Glenn and Binnstown will not have a sewerage system, but Kendall said they will included in the second phase of the authority’s plan.

According to Bible, the only thing that could delay the construction, once the money is released, is the 320 rights of way that the authority must acquire.

“That’s an enormous amount of rights of way,” said authority solicitor Jack Purcell. “It’s going to take a real effort of the borough’s elected officials to acquire them.”

Bible said most of the rights of way are in Centerville.