Sep 10, 2002 By Jenny Susa 3 min read

REDSTONE TWP. – Bill Snyder of the Republic Volunteer Fire Department requested Monday that the Redstone Township Sewer Authority relieve them of paying a fee for truck housing. Chairman Dwayne Thomas said the authority would like to grant that wish, but is not authorized to do so.

“We are asking not to be charged a fee for truck housing because we do not use that facility a lot,” said Snyder. We do a lot of fundraising but we do not use that facility for it. I know that other authorities have been able to grant this to volunteer fire departments in their townships, which is why we are asking not to be charged that fee.”

Thomas said he has checked with representatives from RUS, whom the authority currently has an agreement with, and they say that the authority can not grant the free service.

“We are not allowed to give free service away,” said Thomas. “We don’t have the authority to raise or lower fees, or provide free service. We did waive the tap-in fee for the fire department, but are not permitted to do what you request.”

Solicitor Jack Purcell explained that others are allowed to waive fees because they do not have an agreement such as the one that they have with RUS.

“We can not provide free service because the agreement is still in effect,” said Purcell.

He went on to say that other non-profit organizations and various groups have made similar requests, such as churches and the housing authority, and they regretfully are not able to help.

“We would like to see you get it for free too, but our hands are tied on the issue,” said board member Robert Shaw.

Another local resident told the board that an offensive odor is coming from the grinding plant on Academy Road.

“We had a cookout yesterday and we couldn’t take it. We had to pack up and get out,” said Fajger, adding that the smell is worst toward the evening.

Thomas said the authority hadn’t heard any complaints about it all summer, but that they did have it all sealed up in an attempt to keep the odor from rising into the atmosphere.

Fajger said he believed there was a malfunction, and he thought there was a pipe at the plant that was placed incorrectly, so Thomas agreed that the authority would check into it.

“I understand your problem,” said Shaw. “I wouldn’t want to live in the area with that smell either.”

The authority is also facing problems with 24 local residents who have not tapped in to the sewerage lines yet. He said the reason the homeowners give is that they do not have the money do pay the fee.

“People say they don’t have the money to tap in,” said Thomas. “They have been fined but they do not pay their fines in full.”

Thomas reported that some people have automatically pleaded guilty to their citations and set up a payment plan at the magistrate’s office.

“We can’t shut off their water for not tapping in. They pay their monthly bills. But they are in violation by allowing their sewage to go into the ground or the creek, which later becomes our drinking water,” said Thomas.

Purcell said the only other option in addition to citing the residents was for the authority to physically tap them in, which wouldn’t be possible financially.

“If it was only one person that wasn’t tapped in, we might be able to do that,” said Thomas. “But for 24 people, it would cost $24,000 and we can’t do it.”