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By Paul Chasko
At the February 27 and March 12 meetings of the Union Township Board, it was reported that the Union Township Engineer inspected the slide areas on Gilmore and Coal Bluff roads and made recommendations for repairs. He was authorized to prepare specifications for the repairs and to solicit bids.
The bids are to be opened at the April 9 meeting. Residents can expect Coal Bluff and Gilmore roads to be closed for a minimum of one week for the repairs. Gilmore Road will be closed and repaired first, followed by repairs to Coal Bluff Road. Condemnation of a home on Gilmore Road very close to the slide area was considered, but the township engineer now believes this will be unnecessary.
The mud slide encroaching McChain Road came up for discussion. The board authorized the solicitor to prepare an injunction to allow UT to go onto the property. Personnel would be authorized to do whatever is necessary to stop the intrusion of mud and dirt onto the roadway and to either receive payment of all costs from the property owner or place a lien on the property.
In line with the action of most other Southwestern PA municipalities, UT voted not to join in any legal action attempting to overturn PA Act 13 of 2012, which gives gas well drilling companies much more latitude than that allowed by local ordinances. Under the act, local ordinances must be revised to conform to the requirements of Act 13. This has been viewed by many as an infringement on local government’s rightful duty to protect their residents. Governor Corbett has tasked the Public Utilities Commission to oversee conformance of local ordinances to the requirements of Act 13. The UT Solicitor was authorized by motion to revise the UT Gas and Oil Drilling Ordinance accordingly. To quote the Solicitor, “This is a terrible law. Everyone (municipalities) hates it, but most realize it’s a losing battle to fight it.”
The issues surrounding sewage handling and treatment in the Peters Creek Watershed have once again caused the Peters Creek Sanitary Authority (PCSA) to stop issuing sewage tap permits, according to Earl Danielson, Developer of Tuscany Estates in UT. Danielson spoke at the UT Board meeting after just returning from a PCSA Board meeting and criticized the board’s inability to prevent this action, which will affect builders in Union, Nottingham and Peters Townships. Danielson also stated that this could affect thousands of other jobs connected to the local building construction industry.
At issue is the PCSA 537 plan to build a new sewage treatment plant in UT rather than continue using the Clairton sewage disposal plant, which needs upgrades. PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) turned down this request. PCSA is appealing this decision and is looking at other alternatives. Thrown into the mix is Jefferson Hills’ desire to divorce itself from the West Elizabeth Sewage Authority. Such action would also affect UT, as it uses some of the Jefferson Hills collection lines. The UT Board is attempting to arrange a meeting sometime at the end of March to gather all parties involved in the same room with representatives of the DEP and local politicians to identify short- and long-term solutions. The specter of increased costs, which will eventually make their way back up the line to customers, also will be considered.
After some discussion of its suitability and need, the purchase of an automatic feeding wood chipper with all of the latest safety features ($43,000) was approved (5/0) through the state COSTARS program.
In Other Business – March 12 Meeting:
All board members were present as well as the solicitor, secretary, treasurer, tax collector, engineer and road crew foreman.
• Payment to Makel and Associates ($45) was approved for work on the Elrama Sewage Project.
• General Fund bill payments ($49,059.08) were approved.
• Minutes of the February business meeting were reviewed and approved.
• Authorization was granted for the secretary and treasurer to attend a Washington County Tax Collection Meeting on March 23. Supervisors Spahr and Parish also expressed interest in attending.
• The “final” version of the Multi Municipality Comprehensive Plan still has several maps that need replaced.
• A conditional use hearing for drilling of a second well on Trax Farms property was scheduled for March 19 at 7 p.m.
• The number of road cuts and road crossing locations for a gas pipeline through UT must be clarified. Crossings on Garvin Road remain uncertain. Board member Tullai requested a review copy of the conditional use application.
• A listing of local physicians who would handle workmen’s compensation patients was prepared as a contractual requirement with UT’s insurance carrier.
• Codification of UT ordinances by General Code Co. was begun some time ago but had never been completed. The board voted unanimously to complete the project at a cost of $9,970.
• Necessary steps are being taken to coordinate sewage service installation for the Campbell’s property on Collins Avenue. The home is in UT, but because of its location it will be on Jefferson Hills’ system.
• Treasurer Judith Taylor outlined a plan to switch check payments out of the general fund to charge card payments, which would benefit UT through reward paybacks. UT’s bank (PLGIT) would provide the program. Supervisor Spahr requested a list of safeguards provided by the bank. Taylor will also determine if UT’s suppliers would take payments under this arrangement.
• Parish will attend a PennDOT outreach meeting on March 15.
• PennDOT is requesting volunteers for a statewide roadside cleanup to run through May 31.
• Road Crew workers and Supervisors Tullai and Cushey were authorized to attend a flagger training session at the Nottingham Township building.
In Other Business – February 27 Meeting:
All board members were present as well as the solicitor, secretary, treasurer, tax collector, engineer and road crew foreman.
• Southwest Regional Police Department Officer Elisa Brown submitted an activity report to the board, which included 16 arrests.
• Meeting minutes were approved for the January 9 and 23 and February 13 meetings.
• Payrolls #3 & #4 for a total of $20,158.78 were approved for payment, as were general fund bills of $26,263.78
• The solicitor reported that under Act 13, municipalities would share in the impact fees collected from gas and oil drilling projects.
• Zoning Officer Harold Ivery requested an update of UT’s zoning map.
• A representative from Chesapeake Energy was present and requested a conditional hearing and grading permits for a second gas well on Trax Farm’s property.
• The report from the road crew foreman was reviewed and accepted.
• 200 additional tons of road salt was ordered to round out the township’s minimum order requirement under the state COSTARS program.
• New gas and diesel fuel pumps were installed. The diesel pump needs to be adjusted for low flows.
• A letter to PennDOT was authorized stating that UT has begun the process of doing an inventory of road signs and locations as mandated by PennDOT.
• Bernadette Speer was appointed collector for the street light and per capita tax.
• Ivery was asked to determine if overweight vehicles were going to be used on UT roads during installation of a gas pipeline and to determine why the plan calls for cutting rather than under-boring.
• Approval was granted for a fireworks display on July 27 at the FVFD Carnival.
• Invitation was received to attend a West Penn Power open house on March 1 or 2.
• A letter to the Ringgold School District was sent in reply to a request for an additional security officer at an upcoming public hearing.
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