Bob Douglas has stepped down as chairman of the Bradford Sanitary Authority, and vice chair Bob Esch has stepped up to the chairman’s role.
Steve Disney, executive director of the Sanitary Authority, said, “Bradford City Council has received letters of interest in filling the board vacancy and will be conducting interviews.”
The board thanked Douglas for his years of service, and passed a resolution at Tuesday’s meeting to make the appropriate changes for signatories as required.
There were requests for three EDUs — essentially sewer hookups — from Bradford Township, one for a new home on Gilbert Lane, one for a new home on East Songbird Road and one for a reconnection on High Street. The authority’s engineering firm evaluated the requests, determined the capacity exists and the authority approved them. Foster Township requested one EDU, for a residential property on Totten Hollow that is being subdivided. That, too, was approved.
Regarding the medical helipad on authority property, Disney said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s aviation group is reviewing and finalizing landing criteria and site specifications, which upon completion will be presented to Upper Allegheny Health Systems. He said UAHS is also in the process of submitting a grant to assist in funding the project.
A low quote of $6,150 was accepted from 6V Excavation to demolish the brick house near the sanitary treatment plant on Seaward Avenue. All utilities have been terminated and the process is underway to remove and store items.
A right-of-way request has been received from Pennhills Resources to allow a gas line to be installed across authority lands. Disney said, “The authority is open to continuing discussions with Pennhills but will have additional questions and details to be evaluated.”
In an update on delinquencies, Disney said action against some properties is continuing.
“Sewer and stormwater delinquencies remained steady overall for the month of July,” he said. “We are seeing an increase in commercial delinquencies across the board that is attributed to more commercial accounts being in a delinquent status including but not limited to Moosewatch Development property on Congress Street (sale pending), BRMC, Todd and Kelly Moonan and the OYO Hotel.”
Disney gave an update on personnel training and education. Employees Matt Mongillo, Jake Johnson, Matt Dennis and Glenn Roeder are registered to attend a sewer equipment open house hosted by MTech on Sept. 12. Employees Donnie Hayden, Roeder and Aaron Cobb are registered to attend an Activated Sludge Course Oct. 1 to 2 in Greensburg.
In plant operations, conservation technician Katelynn Decker from the McKean County Conservation District is scheduled to conduct an on-site evaluation today. This evaluation intends to close out and provide BSA with a notice of termination for its stormwater permit.
Disney also explained that field crews are having a rough go of cleaning out a stormwater main along Homestead Avenue, now in their fourth week of work there. “The 48-inch storm water main is extremely full and overburdened with large debris, most of which are being extracted by hand.”
He said one assessment crew has been cleaning, flushing and televising sanitary subsystems, and performing conditional assessments and ratings.
