Masontown’s water plant could close
MASONTOWN – During their meeting Tuesday, the Masontown Borough Council discussed issues at the town’s water plant that could result in major fines and possibly the closing of the treatment facility if steps to remedy the violations are not taken. Borough Engineer Russ Mechling said the plant has been found in violation on a number of fronts by the state Department of Environmental Protection over the past years and that while the borough is now scrambling to correct some of the problems, others are larger and cannot be completed before the next state inspection.
The latest citation by DEP threatens a $35,000 fine if the problems – which Mechling claims have accumulated over the last 10 years – are not corrected. And Mechling said DEP officials have hinted that if the plant is not brought up to snuff it should be closed.
“We would like very much to avoid a $35,000 fine because you don’t have the money for it,” Mechling said.
Mechling said over the past 80 years that the borough has owned the plant, the facility has received less and less attention as time has gone on, noting that a million gallon storage tank purchased in the 1960s has yet be permitted for usage.
Mechling said problems include the lack of a chlorine recorder, a raw water meter, turbidity meters, an issue with surface water boiling in one of the filters and the lack of a permit for backwash and sludge as well as the storage tank.
“If you are going to run a water plant, you have to do it right,” Mechling said.
The council requested Mechling and longtime plant worker Joe Kirk, who was in attendance, to take the necessary steps to prevent a fine from the state, with Mechling noting that if the state sees a good faith effort, the fine might “go away.”
Kirk was instructed to work over time if necessary to get the repairs completed to the plant.
In other business, discussion once again turned to the alleged muttering of a racial slur at the end of a meeting late last year.
Fayette County NAACP President Clinton Anderson told the council that councilman Joe Volansky’s lack of an apology or admittance to the alleged comment has led Anderson to consider taking the fight to the legal level.
Anderson again asked Volansky to step down because he allegedly used the “N” word at the close of a January borough meeting. Anderson maintains that three council members and two area residents who have written statements confirming that they heard the slur are enough proof for Volansky to resign his post on council
“I’m very appalled that I have been here for six or seven months for the same issue,” Anderson said.
“And the councilman remains sort of in control of this council.” Anderson said that if the fight for “justice” in the case takes him all the way to Washington D.C., he will pursue it to the fullest.
“I think that there is one councilman who intimidates this whole council and intimidates this whole borough…and I am appalled that the town would allow it,” Anderson said.
Anderson was cut short by council President Carole Daniels, adhering to the borough’s new policy of a three-minute time limit for public speakers.
In another matter, Councilman Tom Loukota questioned a bill to the borough for $165 for new locks from Ed and Mark’s Locksmith for the borough building.
While Loukota said he had no problem with periodically changing the locks, he wanted to know who gave the directive to have them changed and why council wasn’t notified of the need. No answer was provided.
Volansky also questioned the change of locks and said the timing of the change during publicized infighting on the council make the lock change suspicious.
“It makes it beyond looking a little fishy,” Volansky said.
The borough also conducted the following business:
– Heard a complaint from Joanne Broadwater about Police Chief Rich Barron and what she claims are false accusations made by the police chief after a domestic dispute last month.
– Announced that a list of people being affected by coal mining blasts from AmeriKohl Mining Inc. activity in the borough is being compiled. Anyone whose home is affected by the blasts should contact the borough office.
– Contacted Parkvale Bank about a mosquito issue on property owned by the bank where mosquitoes are breeding in stagnant water and instructed the police department to review possible health hazard citations if the issue is not remedied.
– Heard complaints about two water situations in the borough, with one area resident using a single tap for three dwellings and an area business that is fighting against paying for more than 25,000 extra gallons of water used last month.
– Appointed Kim Essig to the Masontown Municipal Authority.