Engineer plans mapping work for Point Marion water line project
POINT MARION – The borough engineer, Steve Buchanan, said surveyors from his company, Alpha Associates of Morgantown, W.Va., will start additional engineering work on water system mapping, a part of the initial phase of the water line replacement-separation project. Buchanan approached the borough council at Wednesday night’s meeting to inform council members that employees of his company will work to locate additional utilities not picked up by the aerial mapping performed earlier this year.
“The aerial mapping picked up streets and sidewalks, but there were quite a few water valves, curb stops, gas valves that need to be located,” said Buchanan.
He said the work will identify the location of existing utilities and will show the location of the main lines and laterals, all to help in the final project.
“We have to, as much as possible, identify where all utilities are so when we put the waterline in, we can try to avoid them or any complications,” Buchanan said. “And the good thing is you have a grant to do it.”
The work is the last part of the initial planning steps funded through a $50,000 grant. A loan will be secured for the construction of the project, which neither the council nor the engineer has assigned a starting date.
Council President Ted Shaffer asked Buchanan if he received estimates on the cost of installing a second water tank. Shaffer previously said that Buchanan is working on the cost so the borough can apply for another grant to fund this initial step in the project. Buchanan reported that he will have that cost at the next meeting.
Buchanan estimated the total project cost at more than $1 million. He said he is still waiting to get word on whether Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will approve funding for the project.
According to Buchanan, construction on the project cannot begin until funds for that phase are secured.
Buchanan said he is in regular e-mail contact with RUS, who the borough council submitted a pre-application for the work.
Shaffer said although construction for the project hasn’t been funded, he can ensure it will be and, if necessary, the council has other options to seek funding.
One of those include Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority or PennVEST.
Shaffer said that the council was informed the project will be funded through PennVEST.
“We’re going to meet with PennVEST once we get through the planning stages, and we will get the funding done,” Shaffer said in a follow-up phone interview.
Shaffer explained that Buchanan is working on the planning of two projects: waterline replacement and sewage line separation. The latter project was required of the borough by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Shaffer said that after each phase of initial planning is complete, the borough submits the plans to the DEP for approval and then answers or complies with additional questions or requests.
As far as the loan for construction of the project goes, Shaffer said with obtaining any government funding, the process is a slow.
“Steve is doing a good job of cutting corners where he can without disrupting the kind of service we want to put in,” he said.
Shaffer confirmed that the project will raise residents’ water bills, money which will be sued to repay the loan that will afford the construction, but by how much, the council is still uncertain of.
Shaffer did say it will be over a year before residents see an increased rate. The increase will come after bids are selected and materials are purchased to replace the waterlines and separate the sewage lines, he said.
The council, in the meanwhile, is working to push the project forward, Shaffer said.
“We are doing what we have to do to make sure it happens,” he said.
In other business, the council is scheduled to discuss a tax increase at a special meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. in the borough on Dec. 7. The meeting will be held to pass the tentative budget for 2006.
Shaffer said an increase in taxes or services for 2006 depends on the result of negotiations with the Teamsters union regarding police contracts.
Borough solicitor Gene Grimm, however, brought up an increased tax that the council could use to offset police payroll.
The tax, the emergency municipal services tax, would be a $52 fee paid by residents who live and work within the borough and by those who work in the borough, but live outside the area. It would replace the occupational privilege tax. An exception to those who pay the tax are those who earn under $12,000 a year, explained Grimm.
The council estimated $4,000 – five times the current amount garnered from current tax -could be gained from the tax.
The tax money has limited uses, said Grimm, noting police, road and street improvements and emergency medical services as a few.
“It’s not just something you can throw in your general fund and use,” he said, noting Smithfield borough is going to pass the tax. “There’s only specific uses for this.”
Shaffer said the tax may be beneficial to the borough.
The council also conducted the following business:
– Adopted a resolution limiting time for public comments to three minutes beginning Jan. 1, while someone anticipating to talk longer than three minutes should be placed on the meeting agenda.
– Noted 500 recycling containers will be delivered to the borough for use in the town after the council purchased the containers from a Canadian company for $10.26 apiece.
“That’s a very good price,” said Shaffer, who has been pushing for increased participation in the recycling program, one effort of which are magnets and hand flyers that will be delivered to residences.
Councilman Alfred Dubois said once the containers arrive, it’s “very crucial” to begin campaigning for people who are not recycling to begin using the new units.
“They have to know we are going to put some teeth into this,” Dubois said.
– Entered into executive session for litigation over a contractor that allegedly did not meet bid specifications for a paving job performed in the borough in 2003.