Tarentum approves $600,000 additional commitment to DEP-required Seventh/Ormond sewer project

Tarentum Borough Council voted unanimously to commit the additional local match needed to rebid and complete a state-required sewer project on Seventh and Ormond streets, after the borough’s manager told council the job now costs roughly $1 million. The project began in 2018 as a DEP-required sewer upgrade with an original estimated cost of about $550,000; combined community development grants (CDBG and GEDTF) covered about $390,000 and the borough’s original match was about $150,000. Borough Manager Dwight Bodorf told council delays, county staffing turnover and the contractor withdrawing forced a rebid and sent prices much higher. “The project still must be done,” Bodorf said. Why it matters: the Department of Environmental Protection requires the work and missing the window would risk losing roughly $400,000 in county grant funding; without the grants the borough would face the full, higher cost. Bodorf told council the county is prepared to reissue the same grant amounts, but the borough would need to increase its match to roughly $600,000 to secure the funding and proceed. How the council decided: Council discussed the timeline and responsibility gaps that arose while the project was managed through the Council of Governments (COG) and the county. A motion to approve the borough’s increased funding commitment for the Seventh/Ormond project passed unanimously, 7–0. Council members who voted in favor as recorded in roll call were Susan Clark, Lou Ann Homa, Kevin Vertaki, Brian Nolan, Greg Kerr, Maggie Smith and Mayor Bob Lang. Next steps and risks: The county and the COG must redo grant paperwork, re-advertise and rebid; after council accepts a low responsible bid the COG issues the award and the notice to proceed. Bodorf warned rebidding and regulatory approvals will take months and that weather, additional approvals (including railroad crossing approvals) could lengthen the schedule and affect price. He urged tighter contract coordination between the COG, the county and the engineer to avoid repeating the delays that inflated costs. Discussion vs. decision: The record shows sustained discussion about administrative delays and contracting responsibility. The formal decision recorded was a committed funding increase so the county grant funds can be accepted and the work rebid.