Photo by J.W. Johnson Jr.Zelienople Council this week voted to support changes aimed to strengthen the Pennsylvania Municipal Electric Association.

The Western Butler County Authority’s steering committee, which brought the authority’s four member municipalities together to discuss their respective concerns about the proposed $64 million sewage plant upgrade, resulted in the municipalities’ worries being assuaged.

Although Zelienople council postponed its consideration of the proposed sewage plant upgrade until at least July 11 following resident complaints, council president Mary Hess said the steering committee process — which lasted roughly four months — showed her the plan is the right move.

And, Hess added, she was one of the biggest critics of the proposal before the committee began.

Hess said when Zelienople council asked for a steering committee and for an independent engineer to double check the authority’s then-proposed Act 537 Plan, it had its concerns.

“They were telling us that the rates would not rise, these are what the sewage rates for individuals are going to be and it was going to stay within this range. We weren’t convinced,” Hess said. “We were also very, very concerned about — Zelienople has a lot going on, we have stormwater to deal with on Main Street, we have all these projects. We wanted to make sure that it (the sewage upgrade) didn’t impact our borrowing power.”

At least in part due to Zelienople’s request, the authority and its three other members — Jackson and Lancaster townships, as well as Harmony — formed a steering committee, which included two representatives from each municipality. The authority contracted Larson Design Group, an engineering firm, to review its existing plan. And it hired an outside firm to facilitate the meetings.

The committee ultimately consisted of Hess and Andrew Spencer, Zelienople’s assistant borough manager; Harmony mayor Cathy Rape and councilman Dave Szakelyhidi; Jackson Township supervisors chairman Jay Grinnell and resident Butch Shafer; and Lancaster Township planning commission members Dennis Blakely and Chris Zoelle.

The committee met between November 2021 and March 2022 — “sometimes weekly,” Hess added — to discuss their concerns and potential solutions.

“We believe we fully vetted the system, the process, the money, and Andrew and I support it. We believe we’re ready to take the next step,” Hess said. “I can’t speak for council ... but, even if there’s questions that come up, I seriously doubt there’s any questions that will come up that weren’t already answered.”

Tim Zinkham, a Lancaster Township supervisor, said he, like some members of Zelienople council, were concerned about the project.

“In my view, I had concerns about the financial responsibility. What would the township be responsible for now and in the years to come?” Zinkham said. “Until we had an understanding of all implications, I am not sure how the plan could move forward.”

And, like Hess and Spencer, he grew more accepting of the project after the steering committee process.

“I gained a clearer understanding of future rate increases and the financial impacts to the WBCA rate payers within Lancaster Township,” Zinkham said. “It also appears that there would not be an impact to the Township that could limit or reduce our own ability to borrow if ever needed in the future.”

In March, Larson, also known as LDG, prepared a report for the steering committee’s members following the proposal of an updated sewage plan.

“We agree that a WPCP (water pollution control plant) upgrade is required, the selected biological process is appropriate, the proposed rate increases seem reasonable, and the project seems financially feasible,” LDG wrote. “LDG is in agreement with the updated Act 537 Plan.”

And not only was the engineering firm in agreement — so were the municipalities.

Hess said no stone went uncovered while the steering committee looked at alternatives and less costly options. In large part, the new plan is the same as the old plan with only minor modifications.

“We’ve run this to the ground,” Hess said. “We have done everything we need to do to get this thing rolling, and Zelienople is ready.”