CURWENSVILLE – A standing-room-only crowd met the Curwensville Borough Council Monday night. Most wanted to address the proposed ordinance from the Curwensville Municipal Authority that would require borough residents to pay for the replacement of their lateral lines from their home to the water main.
Residents who informed the council of their intent to speak and those who signed in at the beginning of the meeting were allowed to address the council. Those who came with questions were asked to place their questions on an index card with their contact information.
Each question is to be deliberated by the municipal authority in order to allow for proper research and accurate answers. A complete summary of every question and official answer will be provided to everyone in attendance.
Residents addressing council in opposition of the proposed ordinance included Mark Curulla, Harry Fye and Joe Wills.
Residents in opposition of the proposed ordinance sited inconsistency in deciding who gets free replacements, the lack of grant funding to help with costs for residents, and the true source of the surface water that is infiltrating the sanitary sewer system.
Fye questioned the source of the water infiltrating the sanitary system. The current system, according to Fye, still contains a storm system.
Suggesting that the infiltration is not caused by residents’ property but rather by the overflowing manholes during storms, Fye said, “You’re blaming the people and not your own backyard. Clean your mess before you blame others.”
Gordon Bloom, Curwensville Municipal Authority, addressed the residents about the necessity of the proposed ordinance. He reminded those in attendance that everything the municipal authority pays for will eventually be paid for by the customers in their bills.
Citing problems such as denied tap ons by the Department of Environmental Protection and excess flow into the river, Bloom says of the lateral line replacements, “It is something that has to be done.”
Bloom added, “If customers don’t do it (the replacement of lateral lines), it will be done and they will be billed.”
He noted payments could be arranged.
The proposed ordinance has not passed, and the public is awaiting the mailed response to their questions.
GantDaily will have more on this issue at the time of the response.
In other business, Curwensville Borough Council hired Dave Johnson as the new chief of police.
Johnson replaces the retired Robert Deluccia. Johnson thanked council for the appointment and said he will “strive 100 percent to make things better for the police department.”