Sewage authority gets good audit report
LUZERNE TWP. – The Luzerne Township Sewage Authority received a positive report from auditor Jeff McCue Monday for the 12-month period ending August 31, 2010.
McCue noted, however, that there had been an increase in accounts receivable from customers other than the state prison that is the authority’s largest customer. McCue said that from residential customers the accounts receivable increased from about $52,000 in 2009 to about $70,000 in 2010.
McCue suggested that the authority consider either increasing the late fee to improve the accounts receivable or perhaps offer an amnesty period to accomplish the same.
Authority chairman Pat Ballon suggested that the authority review 30-, 60-, and 90-day late reports to determine the best way to address the situation.
Solicitor Jack Purcell said that some of the delinquent accounts are for houses currently in foreclosure. Officer manager Michele Plutch pointed out that two of the long-standing delinquent accounts are houses that recently burned down.
It was noted that the authority may be in a position in several years to expand the system to serve additional areas of the township.
Ballon said he was asked several years ago if the authority could handle 500 more homes after the completion of the Mon/Fayette Expressway interchange in Luzerne Township and the bridge crossing the Monongahela River, which is still several years away.
Plant operator Jim Vance said the new force main at the plant is working well and there were no effluent violations at the plant last month. Both Vance and engineer Don Reho of Widmer Engineering suggested that an aeration system with automatic sensors for the blowers be installed at the plant to help reduce energy costs and improve operations.