CENTER TWP — The developer behind the veterans affairs clinic on North Duffy Road responded to a township invoice with a strongly worded letter, according to documents obtained through a Right to Know request.

The center, the letter states, is the “nicest facility” in the township, and the invoice is an “egregious overreach.”

For the past year, Center Township supervisors have sought to compel Cambridge Healthcare Solutions to make changes to the Abie Abraham VA Health Care Center's stormwater drainage system. The company completed the VA center in 2017 and began leasing it to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

In the time since, neighboring property owners have complained of large amounts of runoff pouring onto their land from a stormwater collection system.

The township still holds bond money for the development, and the board has indicated that it won't release the funds until the drainage issues are resolved.

Over the past year, supervisors have directed both the township engineer and township solicitor to monitor and participate in efforts to fix the problems. Engineer David Heath was asked to review the company's progress.

On Sept. 16, the township sent Cambridge an invoice for about $19,000, records show. It lists about $5,000 of solicitor work and about $14,000 of engineering work, with “fees associated with township engineer and solicitor to perform review of stormwater revisions” as the description.

On Oct. 9, Cambridge's vice president, Adam Pyles, responded via email, records show.

“Cambridge is both surprised and disappointed at receiving the referenced invoice without notice or discussion and without any justification for the costs claimed,” Pyles wrote. “The services rendered were presumably related to the ongoing struggle to address the township's displeasure with a stormwater pond system that was installed per plans approved by the township. Therefore, it has always been our assumption that we were all working together to address the concerns of the township in a unified manner.”

The letter requests that the township reverse its invoice. The township secretary indicated that the board plans on discussing the matter at its Nov. 13 meeting.

In his response, Pyles also draws attention to his company's tax bill.

“The VA Medical Center is the nicest facility in the township and generates more tax revenue for the township than any other single facility,” Pyles wrote. “For Cambridge to now be asked to come out of pocket to pay for its services, which are a responsibility of the township to its citizenry, is an egregious overreach that only adds to the owner's financial stress relating to this issue.”

The total property tax bill for the VA property — based on Butler County assessment office property records and school, township and county millage rates — is about $401,900. Of that, the township's share is about $20,400.

Cambridge is based out of Vienna, Va.