VFSA Board Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2024
The Valley Forge Sewer Authority monthly meeting was held on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. In attendance: Board members: Norman Vutz, Samuel Cupp, William LaPorte, 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, Buchart Horn, Inc., was also in attendance.
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Public Comment
There was no public comment.
Meeting Minutes
Operations Report
Mr. Taylor reported there are outstanding CBOD and BOD results due but does not expect any violations. Any outstanding lab results from July 2024 were without violation. There was no odor complaints recorded during the month. Mr. Pinchok reported the new Standard Operations Procedures for collecting samples have been in place for a month with no fecal coliform violations.
Mr. LaPorte made a motion to accept the operations report as presented, seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the board unanimously approved the motion.
Financial Report
Mr. Pinchok presented the combined statement of operations for all accounts at the end of August with a balance of $26,367,232. 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 $274,185 and the treatment plant fund actual for the month has a surplus of $808,162. Mr. Pinchok briefly reviewed several line items from each fund, with explanations for budget and actual differences. Impress fund reconciliation was $628.57. Credit card purchases for the month were $985.48. Accounts payable invoices totaled $235,109.66. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve agenda items 2 through 6 as presented, seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
The financial report continued with requisitions totaling $90,783.00 from the Treatment Plant Construction Fund and requisitions totaling $14,388.13 from the Capital Improvement Fund. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve the requisitions as presented, seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
New Business
There was no new business to report for the month.
Old Business
Meadow Lane Sewer Extension
The bids received on August 27, 2024, were presented for review and discussion. Mr. Pinchok recommended awarding the contract to the lowest bidder, Shainline Excavating, Inc. Mr. Cupp made a motion to award the Meadow Lane Sewer Extension contract to Shainline Excavating Inc., seconded by Mr. Stipa, and the Board unanimously approved the motion.
Act 537 Special Study
Mr. Shirk presented the PADEP determination letter regarding the Act 537 Special Study Plan for discussion. The letter identified significant administrative and technical deficiencies. Mr. Shirk reviewed each of the nine items within the letter. In short, Mr. Shirk indicated a full-blown Act 537 Special Study Plan is required as opposed to the standard Act 537 as originally submitted by Buchart Horn. Mr. Demey asked how long a full-blown Act 537 Special Study Plan will take to complete. Mr. Shirk presented a handout of the work needed and a timeline to complete the Act 537 Special Study Plan. He noted the completion date to be mid-summer 2025. Mr. Demey asked how to expedite the project. Mr. Shirk responded PADEP has a checklist that will help in completing the project on time. Mr. Cupp inquired if Buchart Horn will be completing the work and if a proposal will be available for review by the board. Mr. Shirk indicated a proposal will be presented to the staff and board by the October VFSA board meeting. Mr. Shirk indicated 5 to 6 additional staff from Buchart Horn will be assigned to the project until the final Act 537 Special Study Plan is resubmitted to PADEP. Mr. LaPorte commented that a shovel may not be in the ground until 2027. The board is determined to have this project to be delivered to all partner municipalities to implement their resolutions by mid-summer 2025. Mr. Shirk replied that Buchart Horn should be able to make changes in order to meet the deadline.
Customer Write Off
The board decided in the May 2024 board meeting to revisit writing off a customer’s outstanding balance in the September 2024 board meeting. East Pikeland Township is negotiating to purchase the property from the owner and plans to leave the property as open space. Since the last discussion, East Pikeland Township expects to have a signed agreement by the end of October 2024.
Mr. Pinchok recommends having East Pikeland Township relinquish the 22 EDUs currently in their Act 537 to be designated for other developments. Under the Open Space Act, a developer cannot develop on the property. The balance due will be written off once an agreement is signed.
NPDES Permit Renewal Application
Mr. Taylor reported the application for renewal of the PADES Permit, submitted in June 2024, was reviewed by PADEP, who requested additional data before the permit would be issued. Once the staff provided the additional information, a pre-draft copy of the permit was issued on August 26, 2024. The draft permit requires a thirty-day public review period before the final permit is released. The renewal permit should be completed by mid-October 2024.
Capital Projects Update
Mr. Jackson reported the staff installed a replacement pump at the French Creek Pump Station. A new variable frequency drive (VFD) is being installed in the Pickering Pump Station by BSI. The administration building roof replacement will begin in the third week of September 2024. Mr. Jackson is in the process of reviewing resumes for an operator position currently available at the plant.
Mr. Pinchok announced the hiring of Nicole DiEnno as the new Human Resources/Office Manager, who will begin on September 30, 2024.
Executive Session
The board entered into executive session at 8:20 p.m. to discuss personnel matters and union negotiations. The executive session ended at 8:50pm.
Adjournment
Mr. Stipa made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Demey, and the board unanimously approved the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.