Willistown Sewer Authority appoints officers, adopts financial resolutions and reviews repairs

Willistown Township Sewer Authority members convened June 25 at the Willistown Township Building to complete organizational business, adopt financial policies and hear operations updates.

Bill Lordan, appointed temporary chair and later elected treasurer at the meeting, called the session to order at 3:01 p.m. The board appointed Phil Mayer as chair, Nick Vastardis as vice chair and Bill Rubert as secretary; each officer vote passed 4-0. The board then appointed William Hagan Jr. as Sewer Department Manager, Carroll Engineering as Authority Engineer and Caitlin Sullivan as Open Records Officer; those appointments also passed unanimously.

Township Manager Shanna Lodge announced that the Authority’s Articles of Incorporation "were approved by the state of Pennsylvania," making the sewer authority a legal entity, and thanked those involved in the formation process. The board approved the May 21 minutes (3-0, one abstention by Mike Kerr, who was not yet a WAAC member at that meeting).

Operations and repairs topped the meeting’s substantive updates. Sewer Department Manager William Hagan reported that the 2025 sewer repairs and restoration have been completed and that exhaust fan motors at pump stations 4 and 5 were replaced. He said the botanical screening required for the 2026 repairs is still outstanding and described the customary authorization sequence—advertise, approve a bid, award the bid—warning that those steps can affect schedules. Hagan noted there was a preconstruction meeting for the Station 3 Interceptor/Eisenhower repairs and that "the project should be completed by the middle to the end of August." He also reported a storm-related power loss at the Appletree pump station that required multiple pumpings to prevent overflow, and described an emergency lateral replacement on Jacqueline Drive after crews found a collapsed 23-foot-deep section of pipe; restoration was completed in-house by the sewer crew.

On finance, Sewer Administrator Caitlin Sullivan said the Authority has been assigned an Employer Identification Number and that bank accounts will be opened once the board designates depositories. The board adopted Resolution 1 of 2026 designating TD Bank and Univest as depositories (Lordan/Vastardis), Resolution 2 of 2026 establishing sewer rental fees for 2026 (Lordan/Kerr) —which Ms. Lodge clarified remains in effect until superseded by a new resolution—and Resolution 3 of 2026 setting an invoice-review policy and authorizing the Sewer System Administrator to approve certain disbursements between meetings (Lordan/Vastardis). All three resolutions passed 4-0.

The board also adopted the existing Township budget for funds 07, 08 and 20 through 2026, approved the current billing fee structure for 2026 and approved a $1,000,000 bond for the Sewer System Administrator; motions on those items passed unanimously. When asked who prepared the 2026 budget, Ms. Lodge identified Mr. Hagan and Finance Director Martin McKenzie.

During public comment, resident Fred Haack asked whether the sewer crew was fully staffed; Hagan said one employee had given two weeks’ notice and that a Public Works employee may apply for the vacancy. Haack also asked whether the board would set sewer rates in the future; Lordan said current rates will remain this year and the Authority will participate in any future rate-setting. Board member Bill Rubert said he had solicited proposals for a solicitor specifically for the new Sewer Authority and distributed those proposals and resumes for the board to consider.

With no further business, Mr. Lordan adjourned the meeting. The next Willistown Township Sewer Authority meeting is scheduled for July 16 at 3:00 p.m.