Residents speak against Adams water, sewer sale
ADAMS TWP. — The possibility of selling the Municipal Water Board of Adams Township and Breakneck Creek Regional Authority to Pennsylvania American Water Company was a hot topic of discussion for residents attending the township’s board of supervisors meeting Monday night.
Resident Kelly Dunn referenced the ongoing sale situation between the Butler Area Sewer Authority and PAWC and asked when information about any potential sale of the Adams water and sewer authorities would be made public.
“We’ll be paying over time for increased water and sewage rates, not only through our own personal, but the school district has a huge bill for water and sewage, and they are going to have to increase their budget,” Dunn said. “It’s a trickle-down effect. How many times are we going to have to absorb the same costs of selling our water and sewer authority that currently has no debt?”
Resident Paul Adametz, who owns the Valencia Sports Park in Adams Township, added that he would feel more comfortable with the township raising taxes if it needed money to pay for new amenities than with selling the authorities.
“Instead of selling these assets, and having a big pile of money that they can do nice things with in the community, it would be a little more politically courageous and a little bit more honorable to just go to the taxpayers,” he said. “Just go to the taxpayers and say, can we raise taxes to pay for some of these things? Nobody likes a tax increase, but from my perspective, that would be a lot more favorable than selling these assets to somebody and losing local control.”
Resident Pete Ferraro said that the water authority is well organized and well run, and that it answers to the ratepayers.
“I’m at a loss for what you guys are doing,” he said. “A lot of effort went into these entities — a lot of people’s time, a lot of volunteer hours, a lot of just doing stuff and picking up trash. To flush it, to go to some Walmart corporation? You really (have to) explain some stuff to the taxpayers here.”
Board comments
Board of supervisors chairman Russ Ford said the board agreed to sign a confidentiality agreement that it would do an evaluation with Penn American for the water and sewer authorities. He added that there is no sales agreement or dollar amount at the moment.
The evaluation is not yet complete, he said.
“These two assets have been around since 1989, and they have never been valued in any way, shape or form,” Ford said. “They’re valuing an asset that is owned by this township.”
The results of the evaluation will be made public when finished, he said, and further review of the evaluation will be done by another party.
“There is no decision to take a sales agreement and sign it and move on,” Ford said. “There will not be a sale of a water authority or a sewage authority without your input, without you involved. It will be public.”
He emphasized that signing the confidentiality agreement does not mean the township has agreed to sell the two authorities.
“As the information comes aboard, you will be involved,” Ford said. “We will listen to what everybody has to say. We will listen to what your concerns are, we will listen to where your problems are.”
Attorney resigns
The board accepted the resignation of Tom King of Dillan McCandless King Coulter and Graham L.L.P. at the meeting.
King provided legal counsel to the township on labor matters.
“I was pleased to represent Adams Township for the past few years," King said in an interview. “I enjoyed my tenure there but have decided to move on."
King said he had submitted his resignation to Adams Township a week ago, along with resignations to the Municipal Water Authority of Adams Township and the Breakneck Creek Regional Authority. King served as solicitor for both the sewer and water boards.
