Borough of Shenandoah requests appraisal on Municipal Authority, Sewer Authority
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - Shenandoah Borough Council during their August 22, 2017 meeting.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
SHENANDOAH – During its regular meeting on Monday, the Shenandoah Borough Council approved a resolution “approving a request for qualifications and indication of interest relating to a potential sale and/or other disposition of water or sewer systems…”
“What this is is basically putting the water and sewage plant and its assets out for an appraisal on potential sale, management by an outside source, or potential leasing the operations to them.” Council President Leo Pietkiewicz explained. “In no way is council obligated to do anything with this. This is just to find out the values… We are not obligated in any way to sell or sublease or anything like that.”
Pietkiewicz also noted that the resolution comes from a recommendation from the Pennsylvania Economy League.
When asked by a resident if there were issues at the sewer plant, Pietkiewicz responded “When the PA Economy League came in, they looked at the overall infrastructure of the borough and its lifespan. (Our sewer plant) is 40 years old. It’s operational, but we’ve been looking at filing for grants to build a brand new sewer plant, but there’s not a problem with it, it’s upkept. Actually, when I sat with DEP in Wilkes-Barre, they were extremely commendable of our sewer department, because they were quite impressed that a plant 40 years old is still operational. The life expectancy of a sewer plant is only 20-25 years.”
Present at Monday’s council meeting were Pietkiewicz, members Paul Holland, Rosanne Mychak, Robert Mychak, John Thomas, Mayor Andrew Szczyglak, Solicitor Joseph Baranko and Code Enforcement Officer Thomas Salvadore.
In other business, borough council:
- Approved 2017 Street Paving Program Change Order #1 – $7300.05
- Approved advertising a revised handicapped parking ordinance for adoption at the next meeting
- Approved the 2017 CDBG Program
- Approved Transition Plan
- Approved Fair Housing Regulations
- Authorized the creation of a Police Eligibilty List
Noted that TM Associates Management Inc., is seeking applicants for a 1 bedroom apartment in Shenandoah Village Apartments - Appointed John Thomas as the borough representative for the Shenandoah Area Free Public Library
- Approved Mrs T’s Pierogies request to use Girard Park for Ted Twardzik Day, Thursday, September 7, 2017. A Ted Twardzik documentary will be shown at 6:30p and pierogies will be sold at the event.
- Noted the upcoming SKIP Fall Cleanup held between September 18-23.
- Approved an SV Basketball Booster donation drive to be held on Fri. Oct 13 2017 at intersections in Shenandoah between 5:30pm and 7:30pm that day.
- Approved a request by Divine Mercy Parish to hold the Our Lady of Guadalupe Procession on Sunday, December 10, and a request for a police escort for the 11am event.
About Author
