FRACKVILLE — A new agreement between the Frackville Area Municipal Authority and the state Department of Corrections for sewage service continues to be under discussion.
The FAMA board received an update at the March 16 meeting from its solicitor, Paul G. Domalakes. He said negotiations are ongoing to reach an agreement for FAMA to continue providing sewage treatment service for the State Correctional Institution/Frackville.
FAMA office manager Rhonda C. Frantz said FAMA is patiently hoping an agreement can be reached.
“The process is trying to get a prison agreement,” Frantz said. “They haven’t paid anything on their sewage account since September, and they continue to say that we owe them money for being overbilled in 2014. We’re hoping to get the new agreement in place to make the calculation easier and with wording so it can’t be misinterpreted.”
The amount the prison pays for sewage treatment depends on a formula of its percentage of the whole amount of sewage processed by FAMA, which has been subject to different interpretations by both parties. The plan is for an agreement with a different way of billing for usage. Frantz said communications will continue,
“Paul Domalakes is drafting a letter to the (prison) business manager and to the Department of Corrections attorney, and also to (state Rep.) Neal Goodman and (state Sen.) Dave Argall,” Frantz said.
The next major upgrade at the treatment plant is the replacement of the bar screen, which is a mechanical filter to remove large objects before they can enter the treatment tanks. The unit operates continually. It is the first level of filtration and is of major importance to the proper operation of the treatment plant. The current bar screen is original equipment.
Entech Engineering project manager Donald M. Cuff said that manufacturer, Derstine Co. LLC, Souderton, is constructing the replacement bar screen. The estimate for completion is eight to 10 weeks. Derstine was the low bid for the project was $218,000, which includes the bar screen, the washer compactor and the credit for the salvage of the existing unit.
FAMA extended its discount period this year that had 24 more customers take advantage of the 10 percent discount. The authority had offered the discount for customers who paid their bills for the year in January. The board approved extending the discount period through February. In 2015, 473 customers took advantage of the discount, but this year 497 customers paid in full by Feb. 29.
“We did have a lot of people thank us for the additional month,” Frantz said. “It was a good move.”
In his liaison/office report, Paul Klevis said the delinquent list as of March 16 totaled $225,981.71, which is 178 accounts owing more than $300. Residential customers owe $97,147.75, with SCI/Mahanoy owing $128,833.96 for September through February.
Klevis said the 10 percent interest penalty would be applied on March 17. Lien letters were mailed to 84 customers on March 1 notifying them that liens would be filed in April. Klevis reported that many late customers have made payments.
Water shutoff letters were also mailed on March 1 to 89 customers notifying them the shutoffs would begin April 6, Klevis said, adding that payments have been received on several accounts.
“A lot of people are paying,” Frantz said. “The letters really help because some people need a reminder.”
Total sewer collections in February were $123,202.09.
A new printer was ordered for the office at a total price of $911.88, Klevis said.