Lower MUA approves raises, promotions By BETTY WUND VILLAS- Two weeks after a 3-2 vote of Lower Township Council stopped the dissolution of Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority ( MUA), the authority’s Board of Commissioners, in closed session, approved raises for employees retroactive to a Sept. 3 meeting when resolutions were tabled. Sharon Otto was promoted to Office Supervisor, and James McDonald, now has the title of Lab Tech and Computer/IT Support. Each will receive $5,000. Two crew employees cited at the last meeting will get promotions as well as raises. William Dunn was promoted to Senior Water Repair with a $5,000 raise. Donald Embs was promoted to Sewer Crain Operator with a $5,000 raise. The commissioners, except for Jack Sparks, approved the promotions and raises. He contended that with the upcoming election, dissolution of MUA after Jan. 1 might go through. Staff salaries could be an issue that would affect the takeover, he said. “My answer is no and I want to explain. If in fact the township absorbs the MUA, everyone will be taken in at their present salaries. I did that (voted no) because this looks like padding the bill. I recommended that we wait one month until the elections are over,” Jack Sparks said. “These people have done jobs at promotional positions without compensation and are being compensated for what they are entitled,” said Thomas Frisoli, vice chairman and acting chairman. The proposed budget for 2015 was presented by Chief Financial Officer Steven Testa. He stated that expenses for 2014 were lower than the previous year. He said sewer budget total revenues were $4,995,076. Operating expenses decreased for a net of $193,323. With the addition of $200,000 from the capital fund, a budget increase of $934,000 for 2015 is proposed. Testa described it as a modest increase. The increase will allow for funding for replacement pipes for Schellengers Landing and a new sewer vacuum truck, he added. Water services showed total revenues of $3,478,068. A decrease in operating expenses and $227,000 from the capital fund added to the operating fund will increase the budget by 1%. The rehabbing of well houses, painting of a storage tank, and replacement of vehicles are planned. There will be no increase in water rates, Testa said. “What happens to this budget if the first week in January the MUA is dissolved?” Sparks said. Solicitor Jeff Barnes and Testa said there probably would not be a problem unless the township increased the budget. The commissioners approved the proposed budget. The budget will now go to the state for approval. Destruction of fire hydrants is getting more common according to Superintendent and Acting Director Craig Loper. Every month at least one is replaced because of a motor vehicle accident, he said. The latest one was in front of the Townbank fire house. “The crew is getting really good at replacing hydrants quickly,” Loper said. Loper presented the engineer’s report in the absence of Chris Eaton of Remington Vernick & Walberg Engineers. The report stated paving of Bay Drive and side streets where the water main trenches were not paved over correctly has been completed to everyone’s satisfaction. Commissioner Steve Sheftz recapped the history of water main projects. He said the most recent restoration work on Bay Drive and side streets was arranged by the LTMUA and covered 5.2 miles. The contractor did it in a week said Sheftz. He questioned how long the township would take to restore .9 miles of Country Club Road. Two residents of Miami Avenue East spoke during public comment. The residents wanted to know why they have to live with unsafe water and when they could expect water service. They said they feel they have not gotten answers from calling the LTMUA, only some rude treatment. The residents stated trenches were dug and later filled in. They said they thought pipes were put in the ground and later pulled out. Loper said when it was found that DEP permits were not received for that area, work had to stop and the pipes stored on the ground were brought back to the yard. They were never laid in the ground, said Loper, and the trenches were filled in and paved over so that traffic would move normally. The residents asked who was responsible for the error and how much it cost to fill the trenches. Loper said that it was an error of the executive director at that time when filing the application. The cost of filling the trenches was about $20,000, he estimated. He added that the permits will be received with the new permits for the East Villas project and the water supply will probably be available in one to two years.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 19:48:19 +0000
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