Lower Pottsgrove Township Authority reappoints officers, adopts 2025 budgets and approves pump purchases

The Lower Pottsgrove Township Authority on Jan. 13, 2025 reorganized its board, confirmed professional service appointments, approved capital purchases to improve pump station reliability and adopted its 2025 operating and capital budgets.

At the start of the meeting Solicitor Stephen Kalis opened nominations for the 2025 officer slate. The Authority re-nominated the existing slate—James Toth as chair, Sean Pence as vice-chair, Mark Loshnowsky as secretary and Joe McGeehan as treasurer—and approved the motion unanimously, 4-0.

Manager Edward C. Wagner brought several operational items to the board’s attention. The Authority approved Fox Rothschild LLP as Authority Solicitor at $200 per hour and Ebert Engineering Associates as Authority Engineer at $110.75 per hour; both appointments carried 4-0. The board also approved the Dec. 9, 2024 meeting minutes.

On capital and maintenance work, Wagner and Sewer Operator Tim Watson reported the Hilltop Road sewer main replacement is essentially complete; the road has been paved and the contractor will return in spring to reseed and straw the disturbed areas, with a $5,000 escrow held for restoration. The Authority authorized the purchase of two Hydromatic submersible pumps for Villa Drive for $17,732 plus freight through COSTARS, and approved purchase of a Primex duplex pump control under the COSTARS price of $26,185 plus freight after formally rescinding a prior approval from Dec. 9, 2024. Both motions were unanimous (4-0).

Engineer Fred Ebert said he is working with Aqua Aerobic Systems to refine electrical, chemical usage and sludge production estimates for the proposed Porter Road wastewater treatment plant and is preparing an operational budget using comparisons to similarly sized sequencing batch reactor plants. Ebert also reported that PA DEP reviewer Beth Mahoney is processing release of an additional 400 EDUs. He summarized 2024 inspection results: 154 lateral inspections with 42 requiring repair (a 27% failure rate). Ebert reported December 2024 flows of 53,952,350 gallons compared with 86,536,037 gallons in December 2023 and said he will reassess the impact of system improvements after a wet year.

The board adopted standardized plumbing standards for sewer lateral installation—covering pipe types, number and location of cleanouts and standards for new and existing building connections—after a recommendation from Ebert, Groff and Watson. The adoption was approved unanimously.

Solicitor Kalis presented three enabling resolutions for 2025: Resolution 2025-142 approving the 2025 operating budget; Resolution 2025-143 approving the 2025 capital fund budget; and Resolution 2025-144 setting the 2025 quarterly sewer rental fee at $156.00. Each resolution was approved 4-0.

Watson reported progress on Porter Road pump station work: generator parts have arrived and are being assembled, the controller upgrade will begin later in the week, and all four Porter Road pumps were inspected and cleaned. He also announced a new Authority truck is in service and asked to tint the two side windows at 30% to protect equipment; the Authority approved the window tinting at Authority expense.

Solicitor Kalis read the Treasurer’s report showing a sewer revenue account balance of $3,965,827.11 and a capital improvement reserve of $1,764,366.14; the Authority approved the report 4-0. The Authority then approved payment of capital and operating invoices totaling $169,374.03 (capital $131,549.98; operating $37,824.05), with individual payments including Ebert Engineering, Sewer Specialties, Borough of Pottstown and Sanatoga Asphalt. The motion to pay the bills passed unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:39 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2025, at the Township Building.