CHADDS FORD TOWNSHIP SEWER AUTHORITY

MINUTES

 

February 19, 2008

Meeting No. 220

 

The 220th meeting of the Chadds Ford Township Sewer Authority was held on this date in the Chadds Ford Township building.

 

Present: Chairman Vincent Del Rossi, Treasurer Keith C. Klaver, Roland Martin. Not present: Vice-Chairman Marc S. Altman, Secretary Paul Koch.

Also attending were J. Michael Sheridan, Esq.; Authority solicitor; Evan Andrews, Authority engineer; Joseph DiMatteo, Delcora foreman; Garry Paul, Board of Supervisors representative to the Sewer Authority; and Mary J. Walter, asst. secretary/asst. treasurer.

 

Chairman Del Rossi called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.

 

MINUTES:

The minutes of the January 15, 2008 meeting were approved as revised by Mr. Klaver. (Klaver/Del Rossi)

 

DELCORA/RIDINGS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT:

Mr. DiMatteo reviewed his written report.

1.      In January 2008, there were no violations at the plant and no sludge was hauled. Mr. Dimatteo reported that the cascade at the outfall looks very clear.

2.      The chemical storage shed is completed and heated.

3.      The new disc filter arrived February 12. The filter was delivered to the Delcora Chester plant and was loaded onto a flat bid and transported to the Ridings Plant on February 13. The Siemens representative has been on-site since the 14th. As of today, two batches were run through the disc filter.  There is a concern with freezing because the unit was not shipped with immersion heaters. The heaters prevent the liquid in the tanks from freezing if it is settling for a long period of time. Siemens has recommended that the disc filter not be run without the emergent heaters. They are expected to be delivered next Tuesday. The disc filter will not be run this week because of the expectation of temperatures around 20 degrees.

4.      Mr. DiMatteo reported that there is an area of concrete broken around the northside gravity main line wet well at the Eckman Pump Station. There are increased flows in the area that may have affected the performance of the Ridings plant during the recent snowstorm and 2-inch rainfall. Mr. DiMatteo had the sand filter on full bypass and in storm mode. The plant had not performed so poorly since last spring.

5.      Mr. Del Rossi asked about the status of meter readings in the manholes as part of the I&I project. Mr. DiMatteo said the results are being prepared and forwarded to Pennoni Engineers. The project ends in March 2008.

 

CFTSA Minutes

February 19, 2008

Page 2

 

ENGINEER’S REPORT

1.      The Chapter 94 Report is being prepared.

2.      Mr. Andrews reported that the he observed the startup of the Turners Mill plant on February 6. The plant is running an estimated 12,000 gallons per day. He said the plant could become operational when it is processing 20% of its possible flows, which would be 15000 gallons. Mr. Andrews reported on several items that he believes will become operational issues. First, the influent screen is a small “light duty” unit that will need modifications to increase the depth of flow through the screen and prevent freezing. Second, the discharge chute is not protected, which can cause freezing in winter and odor issues in summer. Also, matter is being trapped in the screen because the water from the flows bypasses into a channel and goes around the screen rather than through the screen. Mr. Evans noted that there is no access to a solids settlement pipe in the plant. A vehicle gate is there. Mr. Evans recommends installing a driveway or extending the pipe. There also is inadequate access to and drainage for the dumpster; and still are esthetic issues with the view of the plant from Route 1.

 

Mr. Evans pointed out the above issues to the representatives from Toll Bros. and Dutchland who observed the startup on Feb 6. Several of the items could not be identified previously because the plant was not operating. Mr. Paul stated these issues should be addressed by Toll Bros. during the 6-month start-up period. He requested that the Authority write a letter to the Board of Supervisors stating what needs to be done to operate the plant efficiently

 

The Authority requested that Mr. Andrews in consultation with Mr. DiMatteo prepare recommendations as to how the operation of the plant be monitored during startup. The objective is to identify any deficiencies in the equipment or operation. Mr. DiMatteo stated that Delcora wants to be actively involved at least 90 days before the plant is to be dedicated to the Authority.

 

3.      Mr. Andrews discussed the Painters Crossing pump station with the Painters Crossing engineer and the former Authority engineer. Several previously identified issues with the pump station’s connection to the CFTSA system still are unresolved.  Revisions must be made to the force main. Painters Crossing has applied for the DEP permit and has MGK under contract to begin construction of the pump station when the permit is released.

 

SOLICITOR’S REPORT:

  1. Mr. Sheridan reported that the Pennvest application was approved and funded.  Required on-line training must be completed within 30 days.
  2. The Turners Mill contract with Delcora is ready to execute.

 

CFTSA Minutes

February 19, 2008

Page 3

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:

  1. The profit and loss statement for January reflects three months of revenue and only one month’s bills.
  2. Mr. Klaver reported that the Authority’s total negative cash flow for 2007 is approximately $96,000.00, correcting the Treasurer’s Report made in the January 2008 meeting. A significant difference between the 2007 budget and the 2007 actual expenditures was in expenses occurred as a result of the failing of the sand filter. The $154,000.00 for payment of the balance of the invoice for the disc filter has been moved to the 2008 budget.
  3. Mr. Klaver reviewed the proposed 2008 budget for the Ridings Plant. The budget assumes that no tapping fees or the timing of receipt of payment of tapping fee receivables will be recorded in 2008.  It also assumes that the balance of the I&I project and the Delcora metering will be completed; the balance of the I&I project might be deferred until 2009. Sand filter costs are expected to decrease significantly. Minimal costs are anticipated for pump station maintenance. Mr. Klaver again stressed that the Authority must begin to place funds in reserve for capital projects. On a motion from Mr. Del Rossi and a second from Mr. Martin, the Authority approved the 2008 budget.
  4. The treasurer’s report and the accounts payable report including monthly bills of $19567.06, Quickbooks costs of $191.48, debit card purchases of $285.49, ACH payments for Verizon, PECO, Sovereign Bank loan and DVRFA loan of $8741.45, payroll of $2002.19 were approved on a motion duly made and seconded (Klaver/Martin).

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NEW BUSINESS:

1. Mr. Del Rossi reported that Ken Kynett, attorney for the Commons of Chadds Ford Association, contacted him about the water usage rates that will be charged to the Association when connected to the Turners Mill plant. The Board briefly discussed what information previously had been communicated to Mr. Kynett.

 

The Board convened an executive session at 8:46 p.m. The Board adjourned the executive session and reconvened the public meeting at 10:05 p.m. Mr. Del Rossi announced that the Board discussed potential litigation, the Authority’s finance charge policy, and individual users’ accounts that may be subject to litigation.                       

 

PUBLIC COMMENT: None

                       

ADJOURNMENT   The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.   (Del Rossi/Martin)

 

Respectfully submitted,

Mary J. Walter, Asst. Secretary/Asst. Treasurer