The Breakneck Creek Regional Authority. 6/28/22

ADAMS TWP – Township supervisors expect to receive the results of an evaluation of the Breakneck Creek Regional Authority and Municipal Water Authority of Adams Township by Pennsylvania American Water Company soon and plan to release it to the public shortly after.

At meeting Monday night, board chairman Russ Ford said that the board received correspondence from Pennsylvania American at 3:15 p.m. Monday to request a conference call between an Adams representative, Adams counsel, a Mars borough representative, Mars counsel, and representatives from the company to discuss the report.

Ford said he had no interest in having a call one-on-one at this point in time and said Adams suggested to the company that they provide the evaluation in a sealed envelope for review.

“When that is going to be delivered, and how that is going to be delivered, Mike (Gallagher, the solicitor) is going to figure that out,” Ford said. “There’s going to be a meeting between two supervisors from Mars borough, two supervisors from Adams Township, two representatives from the board of the sewer, and two representatives from the water board.”

Ford said the planned meeting was limited to this size to avoid reaching a quorum.

“This way, we’ll have all parties there to open it all at the same time and find out exactly what’s in there and what it has to say,” Ford said. “Then, we’re going to make a decision on how long we’re going to need to do an analysis of it. Then we’re going to advertise a public meeting to be able to share it with the public.”

Adams solicitor Mike Gallagher added that the boards need time to review the evaluation when it comes in.

“When that report comes in, that report will be sealed. Nobody will see it,” Ford said. “Nobody knows what’s in it. Once we get it and we open it, and we have all evaluated it as a group, at that point in time, it’s going to come to the public.”

Supervisors in Adams and Mars, the two founding municipalities for the Breakneck authority, signed a confidentiality agreement earlier in the year, the first paragraph of which refers to Pennsylvania American Water Company’s “interest in discussing the potential acquisition of the wastewater system assets of the Breakneck Creek Regional Authority using the Act 12 fair market value approach.” The confidentiality agreement expired July 29, and was not renewed.

Board vice chairman Ron Shemela emphasized again, in response to questions at the meeting, that the board has not made any decisions to sell the sewer or water authorities.

“We unanimously only voted to have the assets appraised,” he said. “There was never a decision, trust me when I tell you that. The five people on this board have never made any decision to sell these authorities.”