VFSA Board Meeting Minutes
May 13, 2024

The Valley Forge Sewer Authority monthly meeting was held on Monday, May 13, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. In attendance: Board members: Norman Vutz, Terri Woodman, Samuel Cupp, Richard Stipa, and David Demey. Also in attendance were General Manager Leonard Pinchok, Operations and Engineering Manager Matt Jackson, and Laboratory Supervisor Richard Taylor. David Shirk, representing the Authority’s Engineer of Record, BuchartHorn, Inc., was also in attendance.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public Comment 
Mr. Christopher Meszaros asked when EDUs will be available in the Route 724 area in East Pikeland Township. Mr. Shirk responded that the public sanitary sewer service may be available in that area within a year. He indicated that an Act 537 Special Study Plan that will provide additional capacity to the Route 724 area is currently being reviewed by PADEP. Once the plan is approved by PADEP, the next step is to evaluate where and how the capacity will be obtained. 

Meeting Minutes

Ms. Woodman made a motion to approve the April 8, 2024, meeting minutes, which was seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.

Administration and Finance Committee Meeting

The Administration and Finance Committee met on May 6, 2024, to review and discuss the following agenda items:

  1. Accounts Receivable: Mr. Pinchok presented two large outstanding reserved capacity receivables totaling $211,000. Both accounts were historically viewed as viable projects with an expectation of development in the future. Mr. Pinchok reviewed each receivable history, leading to the large balances currently due. After presenting several options to address the balances, including sending notification of the available capacity being reserved and an invoice for the balance due, writing off the balance using the allowance for bad debt account, or revisiting in the future for any changes to the development or township status, the committee recommended writing off the $75,000 balance and revisiting the $136,000 balance in September 2024. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve the recommendation as presented, which was seconded by Ms. Woodman, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
  2. Lease Agreement/Delaware Valley Paving: Mr. Pinchok reviewed the history of the lease agreement between the Authority and Delaware Valley Paving. Mr. Pinchok presented the latest request from Delaware Valley Paving asking for grading. Based on the information presented and after a brief discussion of the changes to the leased property over the years, the committee recommended the lease be extended for one more year and send a letter of intention not to renew the lease in 2025. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve the recommendation as presented, which was seconded by Mr. Demey, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
  3. Customer Write Off: Mr. Pinchok presented a customer write-off request for $907.76 due to sanitary sewer flows backing up into his basement during high flow situations. The gravity main and manhole needed repair along with storm water infiltration into the sanitary sewer system at the time the incidents occurred. Documentation was received from the customer of repairs completed in the basement. The committee recommended writing off the balance due only if the customer is willing to sign a “General Release and Settlement of Claim."  Mr. Demey made a motion to approve the recommendation as presented, which was seconded by Mr. Stipa, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
  4. Capital Improvement Budget Increase: Mr. Pinchok presented the need for additional capital funding for several projects, including a spare VFD (variable frequency drive) at both Pickering and French Creek Pump Stations. The cost to purchase both was $28,060 over the approved budget of $40,000. In addition, the cost to repave several stations was $2,411 over the approved budget of $4,500. The committee recommended approving additional capital funding to complete the projects. Mr. Cupp made a motion to approve the recommendation as presented, which was seconded by Mr. Demey, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
  5. Charlestown Meadows Main Replacement: Mr. Jackson provided an update on this project, where PennDOT is widening the intersection at Route 401 and Valley Hill Road. PennDOT asked if the project would impact the sanitary sewer system located in the area. An inspection of the sewer main indicated that repair work will be required prior to the widening project. The staff, along with Buchart Horn, is pursuing cost sharing because our utility would not have to be moved if this project had not happened. A letter is being prepared requesting a cost share of the project with PennDOT. The project is expected to begin in October 2024. No action is currently required.
  6. Asset Management Plan: Mr. Pinchok presented a revised asset management plan showing how a project like Charlestown Meadows Main Replacement can change the needs of the authority's capital budget. No action is currently required.
  7. Staffing: Mr. Pinchok reported that several interviews for the HR position are set for next week. No action is currently required.

Operations Report

Mr. Taylor presented the operations report, stating there were no permit limit violations for the month of April and all outstanding lab results from March 2024 were received without violation.

There were no odor complaints recorded during the month.Ms. Woodman made a motion to accept the operations report as presented, which was seconded by Mr. Stipa, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

 

Financial Report

Mr. Pinchok presented the combined statement of operations for all accounts at the end of April with a balance of $26,176,966. Fund balances were presented for review, followed by the budget to actual summary, where the revenue fund actual for the month has a surplus of $499,952 and the treatment plant fund actual for the month has a surplus of $879,813. Mr. Pinchok briefly reviewed several line items from each fund, with explanations for budget and actual differences. Impress fund reconciliation was $1,128.28. Petty cash expenses for the month were $7.79. Credit card purchases for the month were $4,578.21. Accounts payable invoices totaled $365,677.95. Ms. Woodman made a motion to approve agenda items 2 through 6 as presented, which was seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.

 

The financial report continued with requisitions totaling $110,930.79 from the Treatment Plant Construction Fund and requisitions totaling $57,059.11 from the Capital Improvement Fund. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve the requisitions as presented, which was seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.

New Business

There was no new business to report.

Old Business

Meadow Lane Sewer Extension

Mr. Pinchok reviewed the project’s history, indicating a need for sanitary sewer service at 10 existing properties located on Meadow Lane in East Pikeland Township. The total estimated cost of the project is $220,000. The township was awarded a grant of $182,100. The balance of approximately $40,000 would be initially paid for by the authority, then reimbursed by a special tapping fee upon connection by each resident. Mr. Pinchok reviewed the letter to be shared with the residence prior to the scheduled meeting on May 29, 2024. The Authority staff will be in attendance. The residents will be offered several payment options, including PA PENNVEST, a payment plan through the Authority, or personal financing on their own.

Act 537 Special Study

Mr. Shirk reported receipt of East Whiteland Township’s resolution adopting the Act 537 Special Study Plan and has forwarded the information to PADEP.   The Authority will now submit the final plan to PADEP for review and approval.  A review and response from PADEP may take 60-120 days from final submission. The next steps in the process, during the review period, are to rerate the treatment plant and evaluate the authority’s conveyance needs for the additional capacity from the French Creek Pump Station to the treatment plant.  It appears the additional capacity will require a new pump station to be built along Route 724 to accommodate the increased flows.  Mr. Shirk reported additional properties, zoned residential, along the far end of the 724 corridor, not part of the current Act 537 Special Study, may need to connect sometime in the future.  The conveyance of these future needs should be accounted for in the current research of capacity needed in the pump stations and mains.  Mr. Jackson noted the last rerate was completed in 1999 to the treatment plant and not to the conveyance system.

 

Other

There was no other old business to report.

Adjournment

Ms. Woodman made a motion to adjourn the meeting that was seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the board unanimously approved the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.