Jan 13, 2014 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – Facing a major sewage improvement project, Waynesburg Borough Council agreed Monday to approach the Franklin Township Sewer Authority to discuss ways each could benefit from working more closely together to reduce costs.

Council is preparing to begin a project to separate its storm and sanitary sewers and to reduce surface water infiltration into its sanitary sewer system. The borough is required by the state to have the project completed by 2015.

Fayette Engineering has been preparing the plan for several years and last month presented council with a preliminary design. The project initially was estimate at $4 million.

Projected costs prepared by the engineers to repair and replace the collection system alone, however, are estimated at $3.5 to $3.6 million. The estimates also failed to include costs for a significant amount of work needed at the treatment plant to keep it in compliance with state regulations.

Councilman Mark Fischer suggested council at least sit down with the Franklin authority to see if there is any way the two could work together to save money. “It’s ridiculous to have such a duplication of services in this small area,” he said.

Fischer noted both Waynesburg and Franklin have separate sewage lines that run along Ten Mile Creek. Maybe there is some way the two can share one line and have it metered to allocate flow, he said.

The borough and sewer authority also might consider connections between their treatment plants that could be used to divert flow temporarily should an overflow occur at one of the plants, he said.

The borough is at the point at which it is preparing to make a large capital investment in its sewage system, Fischer said. “I just don’t want to see it done in a vacuum.”

Fischer said he also spoke to the president of the Franklin authority in an unofficial capacity, and believed there could be benefits to both sides working together.

In other business, council agreed to contribute $25,000 to a program being administered by the Greene County Redevelopment Authority to rehabilitate blighted homes.

The authority received a $600,000 state grant to rehabilitate or build houses throughout the county. David Mirkovich, authority executive director, explained that in his grant application he proposed addressing two deteriorated, tax delinquent buildings in the borough.

One, a house at 86 Morris St., has already been acquired by the authority. It will be demolished and the land offered for sale.

The other is the former Waynesburg Floral building on High Street, which Mirkovich said, the owner agreed to give to the authority.

The authority has $125,000 earmarked for the building in its grant. This will not cover full renovation costs but it will repair the damaged roof, preventing further deterioration and put the building in a condition at which it can possibly be developed, Mirkovich said.

Though the owner has agreed to give the building to the authority, the authority would have to pay back taxes totaling about $47,000. Mirkovich said he could wait until the property is sold at judicial sale, but doesn’t know how long it will be until the county holds the next sale.

He said he approached the school district about waiving the back taxes so he can acquire the building more quickly. The authority could simply pay the back taxes, Mirkovich said, but would rather spend money it has on repairs.

The building would be rehabilitated and sold and the proceeds used by the authority to rehabilitate additional homes, Mirkovich said. The building also would be returned to the tax rolls.

In the past, council discussed problems with the building’s condition and what could be done about it. Council voted to contribute the $25,000 and waive borough taxes on the property should the school district do the same.

Councilman Darwin Fitch voted against the motion. He said he didn’t agree with the borough putting money into a building the owner had let fall into such disrepair. Fischer said, however, that sooner or later it would probably fall on the borough to do something about the building.

Council authorized solicitor Linda Chamber to address a letter form the Teamster’s Union claiming the borough failed to pay pension and health and welfare contributions for a former employee between 2010 and 2012.

Police Chief Rob Toth reported the police department has hired Lisa Sowden, the former chief deputy in the sheriff’s office, as a part-time officer.