Brooklynside petition: no new services / By Martha Knight

LIBERTY VILLA—Liberty Township supervisors received a petition bearing the names of 38 Brooklynside area residents who are opposed to the proposed extension of water and sewer lines to another part of the township, on financial grounds.

Presented to township supervisors, chairman Gary Turner and Bruce Klein, at their monthly meeting last Tuesday night, the petition states: “The proposed water/sewer extension project unjustly burdens the (Brooklynside) residents of Port Allegany, many of whom are on fixed incomes, to fund a project that ultimately only benefits a private business owner(s). Many residents of Brooklynside will be required to fund the project from which they receive no additional benefits or services.

“We, the undersigned, are citizens directly impacted by the plan. We demand the Township act now to cancel or modify the proposed funding of the water/sewer extension project.”

The petition was presented by Barbara Spencer, a Brooklynside resident. She has attended a number of township meetings and asked about the impact the proposed project would have on existing customers’ rates.

Engineers and project planners have explained that if the project is carried out, adding water and sewer customers to those now served in the township, the township’s share of costs will be amortized over many years, with the funds being recovered through usage rates charged to the customers. Applicable regulations call for all users in the township to be charged the same rate.

It is believed the new rates would be higher than current ones, at least until the debt is paid. Hook-on costs are another worry that has been mentioned, but grant funds have been set aside to cover those for low- and middle-income users.

For members of the public who had not been present for earlier discussions, Turner provided a brief review of the proposed project. It would extend water and sewer lines two miles southeast from Port Allegany Borough, in the area along State Route 155 South.

Services would be available to businesses, industry and residences, along with some clubs with facilities in the area.

A supporter of the plan, Randy Hobbs, also mentioned some of the highlights of the project. He and Turner pointed out that the township has applied for a Penn WORKS grant which would provide 75 percent of the funding. The township’s share has been estimated at about $300,000. It would not impact taxes.

Hobbs is an owner of Portage Industrial Properties, in that area, and would provide some land and facilities needed by the project, along with studies he has had done by engineers, as part of the local contribution.

Turner and Klein noted that the project is predicated on receipt of the grant funds. If the grant application is not successful, the township would not proceed. Hobbs pointed out that if the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) forces the sanitation issue in the future, the township would have to comply but probably would face much greater costs.

A decision on the funding application is not expected until December, according to other sources.

In an update on the nearby construction of a bus depot and office for Muccio Transportation, supervisors said the contractor is washing vehicles courtesy of the township, using its water. Once the company occupies its new facility, it could have a water well drilled or use municipal water if available. Meanwhile, “We are being neighborly,” Klein summed up the arrangement.

As for sanitation, Turner said township sanitation officer Roger Bickelman had confirmed from recent tests on-lot sanitation is feasible at the Muccio site.

Muccio recently purchased the site from a tract owned by the township.

The township soon will begin receiving natural gas for use at the township barn, based on a longstanding agreement involving the royalty rights held by the township, and a company that acquired the rights. The agreement calls for free gas to be supplied to the township. The township office building will continue to use UGI service, partly because it has a “backup” service.

Trooper Timothy Nicewonger of the Pennsylvania State Police Kane station attended a portion of the meeting to report on the past year’s PSP service to the township. He said there were no new trends in crime or traffic-related calls. He mentioned a recent incident in which “suspicious youths” had been observed night-prowling at businesses in the Two Mile area, and commented that businesses and residents should keep their doors locked at night.

In the open discussion portion of the meeting, Turner helped a resident understand that a private road where the resident lives is not a township road maintained by the township, even though the township helped provide a name in cooperation with E-911 l, for use in directing emergency vehicles to specific locations. But Turner said he or the crew would look at the drainage situation the resident mentioned, and cooperate within the township’s power to do so.

Turner said the township planned to replace some seedling trees inadvertently mowed by the crew along with brush and weeds. However, property owners need to place plantings outside the township right-of-way, which along the road in question extends 25 feet outward from the center of the road.

Turner explained more of the history and ownership of the gas well and royalties relative to drilling on township land. He stated that, contrary to a news story concerning the September meeting, he and industrial developer Randy Hobbs had not been “at loggerheads” in the past. As for their heated exchange in that meeting, Turner said he and Hobbs had resolved their differences and exchanged apologies in the interim.

Klein announced to the reporter present, as “constructive criticism,” that an unnamed other person had told him the reporter “embellishes her stories.” He declined to provide specific examples or corrections, objected to further discussion, and called for adjournment.