MOUNT PENN BOROUGH MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 14, 2016
The regular meeting of the Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority was held on Wednesday, December 14, 2016, in the meeting room of the John A. Becker Municipal Building, 200 North 25th Street, Reading, PA 19606 at 7:00 p.m.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Dennis Swartz. The following Board members were present in addition to Mr. Swartz:
Thomas Smith, Vice Chairman
Joseph Boyle, Secretary
Alfred Worrall, Treasurer
Tuan Duong, Asst. Secretary/Treasurer
Also present were the following:
Teresa Christof, Business Office Manager
Richard Genova, Water System Foreman
Brad Smith, Arro Consulting
Mark Merolla, Solicitor
Jay Worrall
Bill Bradley
Ann Sellers
Judy Swartz
Michael Martin
Motion was made by Josephy Boyle, seconded by Thomas Smith, to approve the minutes of the November 9, 2016 meeting. All approved.
Motion was made by Thomas Smith, seconded by Tuan Duong, to approve the Treasurer’s Report for November 2016. All approved.
WATER SYSTEM
REPORT SUBMITTED – ATTACHED
Our big dump truck was sent to Homan Automotive to repair the rear axle that broke.
Randy Ruffner painted the inside of the Grandview pump station.
Pennsylvania American Water increased the amount of water they are taking from the Bingaman Street interconnection. They are taking approximately 2,400,000 gallons per week. Richard Genova stated that our wells have been recovering fine.
SAFETY MEETING
A safety meeting was held on ladder safety.
ENGINEER
Motion was made by Tuan Duong, seconded by Joseph Boyle, to approve the (attached) quote from Mumford Bjorkman, Inc. to complete inspections of our Highland Avenue, Neversink Road, and Ridge Street water tanks for $8,700.00. All approved.
Brad Smith stated an above ground storage tank for Antietam pool back wash would be more cost effective. Mr. Smith stated the cost of an aboveground storage tank would be approximately $45,000.00; they cost of an underground storage tank would cost approximately $75,000.00. Mr. Smith will contact the Antietam pool’s maintenance personnel to determine the volume of the pool discharge to determine what size storage tank will need to be purchased.
Brad Smith applied for a PennDot Highway Occupancy permit for the Oley Turnpike Road water main replacement project.
***We received the (attached) quote from Barwis Construction to repair the ponding issue in the parking lot of the Antietam Valley Recreation Center (A.V.R.C.C. The problem resulted after Byram Street was resurfaced; the road surface is higher so it drains into the parking lot. Brad Smith will contact Lower Alsace Township manager, Terry Styer, requesting that they mill the uneven road surface on Byram Street directly in front of the A.V.R.C.C. parking lot. For liability purposes, the parking lot will be closed (chained off) until the parking lot repairs are made.
SOLICITOR
No Report.
BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER
We posted 302 shut-off notices for customers with past-due water/sewer bills.
We received the (attached) quote for $4,062.00 from Lynx Computer Technologies for to have the computers in the office should be upgraded next year because they are out of warranty. Steve Davis’s computer needs to be replaced as soon as possible because it has been infected with a virus. Motion was made by Joseph Boyle, seconded by Thomas Smith, to purchase two Lenovo computers with Windows 7 software, two monitors, and Microsoft Office software for $4,062.00 as shown on the (attached) quote from Lynx Computer Technologies. All approved.
The Board received the (attached) proposal for from Richard Hart Insurance Agency for our commercial insurance and worker’s compensation insurance. The worker’s compensation insurance has decreased by ….The Board approved the insurance proposal.
SOURCE WATER PROTECTION
Arro Consulting provided the Board with the (attached) quote for the (GIS) Geographic Information System mapping of our water distribution system and the mapping of the Borough of Mt. Penn’s storm water drains.
Joseph Boyle stated that there is a Source Water protection meeting scheduled on 11/14/16 with Lower Alsace Township and Exeter Township managers, Larry Lloyd (Berks Nature), Jim Cinelli (Liberty Environmental), and our engineer, Brad Smith to discuss the Crystal Lake assessment. Storm water from Exeter Township and Lower Alsace Township drains into Crystal Lake.
A.V.R.C.C
(MINUTES ATTACHED)
After a lengthy discussion, motion was made by Thomas Smith, seconded by Tuan Duong, to amend the A.V.R.C.C. bylaws (attachment) to add an additional four “at large” board members to the A.V.R.C.C. The additional board members can be from either Mt. Penn, Lower Alsace Towship, Exeter Township, or the Borough of St. Lawrence. Joseph Boyle and Alfred Worrall also agreed to the motion. Dennis Swartz opposed the motion.
The total cost to repair the leaks in the Antietam pool will be approximately $96,000.00. A.V.R.C.C. is consulting with Fulton Bank to obtain an unsecured loan of $75,000.00 for the pool repairs.
BOROUGH OF MT. PENN
Mt. Penn Borough Council will appoint a new Mt. Penn B.M.A. board member at their 01/12/17 meeting.
ANTIETAM VALLEY MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY (AVMA)
No Report. No meeting was held last month due to lack of quorum.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
Motion was made by Thomas Smith, seconded by Alfred Worrall, to approve the (attached) 2017 budget. All approved.
An executive session was held at 9:15 p.m. to discuss personnel. The meeting was readjourned at 9:49 p.m. Motion was made by Alfred Worrall, seconded by Thomas Smith, to approve a 3% salary increase for all employees effective the first pay period of 2017.
Motion was made by Tuan Duong, seconded by Joseph Boyle, to adjourn the meeting at 9:52 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Teresa A. Christof
Teresa A. Christof
Recording Secretary