Sewer Rates Approved in Newtown, Update on 537 Plan and Municipal Authority

NEWTOWN SQUARE–At a Newtown Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 13, supervisors unanimously approved the revised 2012 sewer rates for the SR-2 and SR-3 districts in the township.

2012 sewer fees and rates for the SR-2 district are as follows:

• $4.35/1,000 gallons used;
• $243 for the well rate; and
• $25 for the Sewer Certification fee.

2012 sewer fees and rates for the SR-3 district are as follow:

• $5.50/1,000 gallons used;
• $273 for the well rate; and
• $25 for the Sewer Certification fee.

New Metering System Possible for 2013

According to Township Manager Mike Trio, Newtown is currently considering changing the possibility of using a separate deduction metering system, such as an irrigation system, on residents' properties and charging separately for that metering. Trio said the possibility of changing the metering system may occur for next year.

A few residents of Springton Pointe Woods, Springton Pointe Estates and Terrazza developments–including Ray Lopez, of Springton Pointe Woods, who recently announced his resignation as chairman at a Municipal Authority meeting last month–expressed their gratitude and approval for the supervisors' decision to consider a new metering.

"First of all, I'd like to thank the board and the township for working on that, on behalf of Springton Pointe Woods, Terrazza and Springton Pointe Estates, for standardizing the rates as opposed to the flat fee," addressed Lopez to the supervisors on Monday night.

Mark Kay, of Springton Pointe Woods, also shared the same sentiments as Lopez and noted the positive movement the new administration was making was "tremendous."

"For the most part, I just want to thank everybody tremendously, especially Mike [Trio] and Larry [Fischer] did a tremendous job on this, to finally get to what's fair, what's right and what was always written into law that certain board members prior, who are not here now, did not agree in that direction especially the solicitor and town manager," said Kay. "So, to finally get this right after three years of this, is tremendous."

New Sanitary Sewer Enforcement Officer Replaces Previous Engineer

In addition to the sewer rates, the supervisors unanimously approved the appointment of Jamie MacCombie of Herbert E. MacCombie Jr., P.E., Consulting Engineers and Surveyors, Inc., as the township's sanitary sewer enforcement officer.

On Monday night, the supervisors appointed Stantec Engineering as their engineer firm, replacing David Pennoni of Pennoni Associates Inc. MacCombie will also replace Pennoni, who previously served as the township's sanitary sewer enforcement officer.

MacCombie was hired by the township last August as a third-party engineer to review the final draft of the Act 537 Plan. A new plan of study for the Act 537 Plan was submitted by MacCombie in early January.

Township Agrees to Pay $15,000 to Kelly & Close Engineers

Township Solicitor Richard Sokorai also addressed the current situation between the township and Kelly & Close Engineers, the Municipal Authority's engineer. 

"There was an issue regarding outstanding bills that Kelly & Close was seeking payment on. There were documents that we wanted for the township to give to Jamie MacCombie and others to perform the 537 Plan. I guess what had developed was a stalemate," explained Sokorai.

According to Sokorai, Kelly & Close believed the township owed the engineering firm approximately $180,000 for the scope of work they performed, as the Municipal Authority's engineer, on the Act 537 Plan.

"There’s no agreement on that at all," said Sokorai. "What they consider that to be is a combination of Municipal Authority part two work (designing the system) and the 537 Plan. We don’t have an agreement to that matter."

Sokorai said the $15,000 was made as a "good faith advancement" in order to move forward with the discussion, but the township has not agreed that Kelly & Close were responsible for the part two work for the Municipal Authority and the Act 537 Plan.