Point Marion council votes to add surcharge to sewage bill
POINT MARION – During a special meeting Wednesday, the borough council unanimously voted to add a surcharge on the sewage bill in order correct a deficit budget. A temporary, $6 surcharge will be added to sewage bills starting in July and continuing through December. Sewage rates will remain the same.
The council was forced either to raise the sewage rate or add a surcharge because they were operating with a deficit budget that equaled about $4,000, said council President Ted Shaffer.
Shaffer, reiterating what was said during last week’s monthly meeting, said the borough had a deficit budget because it did not receive a grant to offset the operating cost of the sewage plant, as it has for the last 25 years.
Shaffer said the grant, which gave the borough about $9,000 a year, was cut from Gov. Ed Rendell’s budget.
Borough Treasurer Art Strimel said the council was notified of the cut about four weeks ago, after council members already had figured the $9,000 into the original 2003 budget.
Shaffer said residents will not be happy about the surcharge, but they must understand the borough’s serious financial situation.
“We cannot afford to operate (the way we were) and keep our heads above water,” Shaffer said.
He said the council will have to completely redo the budget in January and will look into raising sewage and water rates at that time.
The $6 surcharge was proposed by Councilman Dewey Stillwagon and within six months will bring about $20,000 into the borough.
Stillwagon said it was an “emergency fix,” and the council needs to create a financial plan and work with the state to secure funding for a permanent solution.
“Because of our inability to calculate the actual rates needed for both sewage and water service, I strongly suggest meeting with PENNVEST,” Stillwagon said. “They would advise on ways to secure loans to upgrade to state and federal requirements for our sewage and water plants. They could also calculate the rates needed for both the sewage and water service.”
The council will meet with PENNVEST officials before October.
In other matters, the council voted to hire Barry Clemmer as borough manager. Solicitor Gene Grimm said Clemmer will not be officially hired until next month, when the board adopts an ordinance that will allow it to hire Clemmer.
Grimm said Clemmer will manage the borough’s water treatment plant, adding that the council hopes to have Clemmer fulfill the role of certified operator.
The state Department of Environmental Protection requires that the council have a certified operator to manage the water plant as of July 1.