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Kane sewer rates to remain unchanged in 2010 |
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Written by Publisher
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Friday, 27 November 2009 |
Sewer rates in the borough of Kane and Wetmore Township are expected to remain unchanged in 2010.
The
Kane Borough Sewer Authority held a 104-minute meeting earlier this
week to review the “sewer fund” budget, which is part of the Kane
borough spending plan for the coming year.
Although the five members
of the authority questioned many funding amounts, only two changes were
made in the proposal drafted by Borough Manager Patrick Nuzzo. He also
serves as the non-voting secretary of the authority.
The authority agreed that a hike is needed in the proposed amount for health insurance. Nuzzo set the original amount at $69,000. The authority bumped the figure to $77,000.
Nuzzo estimated that $6,800 would be needed to cover the cost of the prescription plan for the sewage treatment department employees. The authority increased the amount to $9,000.
Authority members Jim Salvamoser, Doug Caldwell, Dave “Chip” Peterson, Frank Wojcik and Mike Holtz agreed to accept the proposed “sewer fund” with the changes. Salvamoser, a borough councilman, is chairman of the authority. Caldwell is the mayor of Kane. Peterson is a Wetmore Township supervisor and represents the township on the authority.
According to the proposal for the “sewer fund,” the authority expects to take in $1,394,000 in fees from customers in the borough and sections of Wetmore Township with sewage service.
The authority, which oversees the sewage treatment operation, expects to spend $1,389,426, mainly for salaries and benefits, supplies, testing, utilities, sludge removal and insurance.
The Kane Borough Council will meet next Thursday to review the “sewer fund” as well as other sections of the proposed 2010 Kane borough budget. The meeting at 5 p.m. at the borough building is open to the public.
In other business at the authority meeting, Holtz expressed concerns about the sale of a backflow preventor, which at one time was used when flushing fire hydrants. The borough now uses its vacuum truck for the operation.
Since the authority paid $2,471 for the seldom-used backflow preventor, the authority in September authorized Nuzzo to sell the device for that price.
Earlier this month, the authority discussed the need to seek bids to sell the device and set a minimum bid of $1,000. Nuzzo, however, apparently agreed to sell the device before the authority decided instead to seek bids.
The sale, however, has been canceled and the would-be purchaser apparently will need to submit a bid.
Holtz said Nuzzo should have told the authority that the device already had been sold before the board called for bids.
“This makes us look foolish,” Holtz said. He said he is “really upset” with the snafu.
“I’ll take full responsibility for that,” Nuzzo said.
Kane Borough
Sewer Authority
When: Monday, Jan. 18
Time: 7 p.m.
Where: Borough Building, Bayard Street
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 December 2009 )
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