So what do you think? Should Horsham Township dictate what direction we take with our services? Should we be reviewing and planning for such an important service such as sewer? Should we not allow our service organizations the ability to plan for the future for something that another Township may or may not do?
By: Jesse Reilly, Staff Writer
09/16/2008
Against the wishes of some members, the Upper Moreland Board of Commissioners voted to allow the Upper Moreland-Hatboro Joint Sewer Authority to move forward with an update of the authority's Act 537 Plan.
In a 5-1 vote Sept. 8, the board directed Township Solicitor Kate Harper to draft a letter to the authority documenting their approval. "The decision is not an adoption of a new plan, it is simply allowing the sewer authority to move forward with its strategic plan," board President Stacey Efkowitz said.
Act 537, The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, requires that all commonwealth municipalities develop and implement comprehensive official plans to provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems and provide for the future, the Department of Environmental Protection's Web site said. The sewer authority is re-examining its plan because it has exceeded 80 percent capacity.
With Horsham Township utilizing 30 percent of capacity, approximately 2 million gallons per day, Commissioners Kevin Spearing and Lisa Romaniello were concerned with their neighboring township's commitment. "If Horsham diverted half a million gallons to another authority we would be below 80 percent," Spearing said.
"We wouldn't even have to have a 537 plan, we would save a lot of money."If the plan called for the expansion of the authority, a move that could cost upwards of $10 million, and Horsham decided to take its capacity elsewhere, the changes would be void. "It's just a good business decision," he said. "Let's not put the horse before the cart."
Although both were concerned with moving forward too quickly, Harper warned the board that by not allowing the authority to move forward they are putting pressure on the wrong entity - Horsham would not be affected by its holdout. "I would like to see a 20- or 30-year commitment from Horsham," he said.
In an attempt to ease fears and protect themselves, board members instructed Harper's letter to the sewer authority to address their concerns with Horsham's ability to decide against utilizing its 30 percent, information regarding other municipalities for long-term planning as well as the original documents that afford Horsham its portion.
Although Spearing said the township has more than enough capacity for redevelopment, Jonathon de Jonge, vice-chairman of the Advisory Planning Agency, was concerned that failing to move forward would inhibit growth in the downtown area. "We have already spent over $2 million on redevelopment," he said. "We cannot keep doing this dance, people won't come."
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5 comments:
One thing I have really noticed about this Board is that everything moves soooo slow. They talk things to death. Whatever happened to just getting things done and not always getting your way?
talk it to death and maybe the problem will go away. There are some (who shall remain nameless - LR) who like to speak just to get the soundbites. This in itself drags the process on and on and on. Sometimes you have to be the one to agree to disagree and move forward. I learned back in grade school that just because someone doesnt agree with me, I should not attempt to beat them to death in a droning whining voice in the hopes of making them scream "UNCLE." It only gets you time out.
I just got done watching the Sept 8th meeting. The discussion about the UMHJSA took about 1 hour. This could have been done in about 30 minutes. The commissioner from ward 1 spoke to her concern of using taxpayer monies to do the 537 plan (which by the way is done by the Sewer Auth.) yet it is ok to spend $1,100.00 per month on a web site that repeats what is on the townships web site and has not been updated for several months!
The commissioner from ward 3, who during several other meetings stated that the sewer authority was so close to capacity that redevelopment could not be done but, in this meeting said that there is plenty of capacity. Which is it? Enough, or not enough capacity? Both of these commissioners need to check their comments from previous meetings so they don't look like dying fish out there.(You know flip-flopping)
Golden Bear, I think you have your commissioners mixed up. Ward 2 is the commissioner that was concerned with capacity. I think that some commissioners fail to recognize capacity isn't the only thing that drives the need for an updated plan. Other improvements, like upgrades to the machines that process our sewage, odor control, and keeping up to date with always changing state and federal regulations all play a part in the Authority's planning process.
Your right Becky G, but during his response to Mr. DeJonge he said that the authority had more than enough capacity to handle redevelopment.
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