CHADDS FORD TOWNSHIP SEWER AUTHORITY

                                                                     MINUTES

 

                                                                 October 18, 2005

 

The 193rd  meeting of the Chadds Ford Township Sewer Authority was held on this date in the Chadds Ford Township building.

 

Present: Vincent Del Rossi Chairman, James J. Murray Vice Chairman, Anthony J. Cutrona Treasurer, and Paul Linsen. 

            Absent: None

           

Also in attendance were John J. Mezzanotte, Esquire, Sabina J. Taylor, Secretary/Treasurer, Garry Paul, CFT BOS and CFT Engineer James C. Kelly, PE.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Vincent Del Rossi, Chairman.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

$          None

                       

PUBLIC COMMENT:

$          None

           

MINUTES:

There being no additions or corrections, the minutes of the September 22, 2005 Chadds Ford Township Sewer Authority meeting were unanimously approved as written on a motion made and seconded (Del Rossi/Linsen). 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:

Mrs. Taylor gave account balances as follows:

           

            General Fund Account

                        Beginning Balance                                                                     $61,156.67                 

                        Receipts                                                                                          39,329.79

                        Balance                                                                                    $100,486.46

 

            Operating Account - PLGIT

                        Beginning Balance                                                                     $50,703.94

                        Transfer from Wachovia General Fund                                      0.00

                        Dividends                                                                                         154.93                 

                        Balance                                                                                    $50,858.87

 

            Tapping Fee Account - PLGIT/Plus Account -

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                        Beginning Balance                                                                     $252,904.24

            Receipts - Transfer from Wachovia                                            10,450.90

  Dividends                                                                                   2,021.47

                          Balance                                                                                  $265,376.61

 

1.         2004 Audit - Mrs. Taylor reported that she is currently working on the Management Discussion and Analysis for the audit.  It should be completed shortly. 

 

Mr. Cutrona commented that he had a discussion with the auditors around the third or fourth week of September and he was supposed to receive a draft of the financial statements by the first week of October.  As of today, the draft has not been received.  Mr. Cutrona said the audit is taking far too long and should have been done several months ago.   

 

2.         Tapping Fee Paid - The tapping fee has been paid for a new connection in the Longview- Summit-Woodland Sanitary Sewer Extension area.

 

3.         2006 Budget - By the November meeting, Mrs. Taylor plans to have a preliminary budget ready for consideration by the Board.

 

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:      

Invoices for October 18, 2005 totaling $45,453.40 were presented for payment.  These invoices include $6,586.58 for Ridings Plant operating expenses, $10,828.07 for administrative and professional services and an interest payment on the DVRFA loan in the amount of $28,038.75.

 

After review, the bill list in the amount of $45,453.40 was approved for payment, by unanimous vote, on a motion made and seconded (Cutrona/Murray). 

 

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE:

No report for this meeting.

 

SOLICITOR’S REPORT:

Mr. Mezzanotte reviewed:

 

1.         Grinder Pump Ordinance - Responding to a question, Mr. Kelly said this Ordinance was based on a model provided by DEP when the Act 537 Amendment was submitted for the Baltimore Pike and Chadds Ford Village sewer systems.  Copies of Mr. Mezzanotte’s memo containing his comments on the proposed Ordinance were distributed to Sewer Authority members and Mr. Kelly.  Copies were also placed in each CFT Supervisors mailbox.  Chairman Del Rossi said he would see that Mr. Donaghue would also get a copy of the comments.

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1. 

2.         O & M Contract - The contract submitted by Applied Water Management has been reviewed by Mr. Mezzanotte.  Prior to signing the contract, the Authority would like to make some adjustments.  Chairman Del Rossi will contact Applied Water Management to arrange a meeting to discuss the suggested changes to the contract.  Signing of the contract was tabled until next month’s meeting

 

Discussion followed regarding an offer by DELCORA to install a SKADA system in the Turner’s Mill Sewage Treatment Plant. 

 

3.         Holding Tank Agreement - This will be tabled until the next meeting.  Chairman Del Rossi will provide Mr. Mezzanotte with some information regarding Holding Tanks. 

           

4.         Raven Crest Homeowners Association Appeal - Mr. Mezzanotte said he had nothing to report on the appeal.

           

Mr. Paul reviewed a possible settlement proposed by the Raven Crest Homeowners Association.   It is not expected that this proposal will be accepted by the Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors.  The Authority members agreed that the proposal was not acceptable.

 

5.         Water leak at CCMC - Mr. Mezzanotte has not heard anything further on this problem, but will follow up on it.

 

ENGINEERS REPORT:

In Mr. Smith’s absence, Mrs. Taylor was asked to read the engineer’s report prepared by Mr. Smith.  

 

Work Progress

 

•           Construction of Heyburn Road-Raven Drive sewers: Following your authorization at last meeting, SSM notified Wexcon of a Notice of Award for Part I (Heyburn Rd portion) and a notice of Intent to Award for Part 2 (the Raven Crest portion), and asked that they secure the required performance and payment bonds and insurance documents, prepare their portion of the Agreement, and return them to us for review.  As of today, we are still awaiting the documents, and we will forward them to you as soon as we receive and have reviewed them. 

 

•           Tremonte has completed the sewer installation, and is in the process of final testing.  SSM has provided inspection services as appropriate.

 

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•           Following your selection of Applied Water Management for continuing services in the operation of the Ridings WWTP, SSM has reviewed the Contract submitted with their Proposal, and find it to be in keeping with our request, and very similar to their existing Contract, with a reasonable annual increase in costs.  

 

•           SSM has inspected the treatment plants within the Township jurisdiction on September 22nd.  A report will be prepared and submitted shortly.

 

•           We will continue to review developer submittals as authorized by the CFTSA. Toll Brothers has continued to request our participation in review of their project, and we will do so, unless otherwise directed by the Authority.

 

•           In reviewing the flows for Ridings WWTP, the projections are for the plant to be approaching capacity within five years.  As a result of the continued growth in the service area, SSM recommends a preliminary investigation into plant unit processes to determine the potential for plant re-rating to accept additional flows.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

$          Toll Brothers - Turner’s Mill - Mr. Paul gave the Authority members an update on this project.  He noted that originally it was to be a gravity feed from where it exits Painters Crossing Condominium down to the plant and now it appears it can be done as a low pressure line.  This would help to reduce the cost of the project.  Discussion followed.

           

NEW BUSINESS:

$          Sludge Hauling - Chairman Del Rossi said that McGovern has given him a price of .08 per gallon to haul sludge from the treatment plant.  Aqua is currently hauling sludge from the plant for .06 per gallon.  The Authority will continue to use Aqua as long as the price is acceptable.

 

OTHER MATTERS:

$          Raven Crest Community Sewage System - During last year’s annual inspection of privately owned waste water treatment plants, it was noted that half of the drainfield at the Raven Crest community system was wet and half was dry.  Mr. Murray asked if that were still the case.  It was suggested that the report for this year will probably address this situation.  The reports should be completed soon.

 

$          Unused Capacity - Mr. Murray asked if there was a way to encourage those holding unused capacity to make that capacity available to those that need it.    Mr. Mezzanotte responded that he knew of no way to do that unilaterally.   Several other possibilities were discussed.

 

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$          Inspection at Time of Sale - Chairman Del Rossi and Mr. Murray attended a meeting at DELCORA where I & I and related topics were discussed.   At that meeting, model Resolutions and Ordinances from other townships relating to Inspection of Sanitary Sewers at Time of Sale were distributed.  Copies were passed out to the Authority members for their consideration. 

 

ADJOURNMENT:   

            The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.  

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Sabina J. Taylor, Secretary