SLIGO, Pa. (EYT) — Sligo Borough agreed to take ownership of a proposed sewer line from Clarview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center along State Route 68 to Sligo Borough at no cost to the borough for development or maintenance.
The agreement was reached at the September meeting of the Sligo Authority.
“The reason for this request is a private entity like Clarview cannot put a utility in a PennDOT right of way,” explained Kyle Fritz, an EADS engineer employed by Clarview.
“PennDOT requires that it either be PUC or a municipality for their utilities. What we would propose and request is for the authority to take ownership of the line, and then we will have an agreement in place that states Clarview is responsible for all costs of installation, all costs for future operation and maintenance operation expenses, future replacement expenses. The only thing that the authority would be responsible for is just ownership in the eyes of PennDOT.”
All three members of the authority present voted to accept the request and included Chair Chuck Marsh and members Lyle Foringer and Dave McElravy.
Terry George, a member of the Clarview Board, said the type of system was being changed from a gravity to a pressure system because of high cost of right of ways and a lack of support from Piney Township supervisors.
“We’ve changed our mind from a gravity system to a pressure system because of some problems we’ve run into with right of ways from private citizens requesting an enormous amount of money for some of them,” said George. “Some of them wanted many, many taps on their properties that they would want paid for, and some people wanted their sewer bill paid forever. We’ve decided to do away with the design of the gravity system and go with a pressurized system from Clarview clear into the borough.”
“To be perfectly honest, what we’re trying to do is expand out there. We bought the old county home, and we’ve got 12 acres to expand eventually. We’ve got a waiting list, and for Country Spring, in the next four or five years, we’d like to expand that, but we can’t do it without some kind of sewer line. Economically, we’re trying to help the county, too, and provide jobs and a better place for people to live.”
“It’s really a win-win for the county, the township, and the borough.”
Marsh asked if Clarview has spoken to Piney Township about taking owners of the lines.
“We’ve talked with them before at a meeting, and they weren’t interested at all,” replied George. “They voted it down.”
Marsh replied, “You would think that with the economic effect and building onto the tax base for them, they would be more than willing to take on something like that.”
Fritz said Piney Township was asked before they came to the authority, but said they were not interested, and they didn’t feel there was a need or public sewage in that area.
“There may not be a need in their eyes, but the state may come in and make it mandatory in the future,” said Marsh.
“The planning that was done for this shows potential development for Clarview,” said Fritz. “It does not show connections by township residents because the township did not want that. In the future, if township residents want to tie in with it, the township would be responsible for that planning. They would have to take the proper steps through DEP to do that plan.”
In other authority business:
• Collections sent the authority rules and regulations and update of four delinquent accounts.
• Authority and borough employee Ed Myers was approved for PA Rural Water Association Training of the operation of wastewater treatment plans Oct. 24 in Clarion. Myers will then have 30.5 hours and needs to hours to get recertified by the state.
• The authority submitted a sewer lien of $1,674 for a property at 419 Colerain St. and that property is scheduled to be one in the Clarion County Tax Clarion Bureau on Sept. 18.
