TURBOTVILLE — Representatives of Lewis Township were at the Warrior Run School Board meeting Monday to plead their case for a quick agreement to sell the school’s wastewater treatment plant to the township, but the board would not be pushed.
The matter of the sale has been under discussion for years. Township officials said a February deadline for applications for PennVest funding to move the project forward was the reason for haste.
Even though school officials and the township have a handshake agreement, the township cannot move its application forward. The district did not receive the hard copy of the agreement until Friday, and neither board members nor the solicitor have had time to review it.
Robert Boos, a state Department of Environmental Protection official, said all the permits must be in hand by Jan. 19 to give DEP time to review them before the March deadline for applications.
“PennVest will work with the township,” he assured the district. “They have the funds for the project set aside.”
Portions of the township have a high failure rate of on-site wastewater treatment systems, and the state is pressuring the township to build a system to alleviate the problems. Purchasing the school’s treatment plant would be a good start and will save money in the long run because the plant is already operational.
“The more time the township and the district spend reviewing this agreement, the less time is available,” Boos cautioned. “If the deadline is missed, no funding will be available until June or July.”
Because the township has such a small population, issuing bonds to build a system is not an option. A combination of loans and grants from PennVest is the only way the project can happen, according to Todd Pysher, the township’s consulting engineer.
After a number of questions from board members, the board agreed to hold a special meeting on Dec. 7 following the annual reorganizational meeting, to vote on the agreement.
In another matter, the board approved bus contracts with Mincemoyer School Bus Service, Murray Transportation and Hagerman School Bus Service. The contracts were about about $132 lower than last year’s, due to fewer miles travelled and lower enrollment, said Daniel B. Sheaffer, superintendent.
News
Township anxious to seal deal
State wants plant permits by Jan. 19 to allow for review
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