Reynoldsville Water and Sewer Authority meets

The Reynoldsville Water and Sewer Authority met in regular session July 29 and heard comments from the public on different issues.

—Landlord Bonnie Edwards asked for additional time to work out metering at her property at 909 East Main Street. There is one water meter there now and she needs to add two more. She said if that couldn’t happen she’d like the bill in her name.

The board offered to give her an additional 60 days to complete the work and that all landlords will be receiving the bill for water usage beginning in January of 2022.

—Gerry Kriner, a resident of the Pine Hills section of Winslow Township along Wayne Road, attended the meeting to ask for help in getting water to that area. At a recent township meeting, he informed the supervisors that he has had to dig a number of wells and the water quality remains poor, but the supervisors said they couldn’t help.

“I’m caught between a rock and a hard place,” he told the board.

While the authority was willing to help, Board President Barry Fillman said the problem was not one that could be solved easily and that it would take a coalition of organizations to address it. He suggested contacting the Jefferson County Commissioners to bring them into the process along with the township and the authority. He also suggested finding out how many people in the area would be willing to pay the tap in fee.

Systems Manager Robert Crosby suggested Kriner approach the supervisors once again to ask for a feasibility study to gather information such as the number of houses and lots in the area, how much pipe would be involved, and other items.

Once all the information is gathered, Kriner was told, the coalition of agencies could then decide if the project was feasible and eligible for grant monies.

–Landlord Joshua Smith attended to meeting to ask why the meter at his rental had not been read, just estimated, for two years. He recently received a large bill to balance things out.

Systems Manager Crosby responded there was a problem, a remote meter had not been installed, but that has been resolved.

“Why did it take you two years to figure that out?” Smith asked.

Fillman asked for the paperwork on the situation so he could look it over and get back to Smith.

–Teamsters Union Local #110 representative Rick Keller attended the meeting to introduce himself to the board. Workers at the plant recently voted in favor of unionizing.

Keller brought with him what he called a second request to get contract negotiations started since he had not received a response “from the water authority itself.”

Board President Fillman pointed out the the authority’s labor attorney did respond, which Keller acknowledge. Keller suggested the two sides negotiate without attorneys.

“I feel we can get this done ourselves,” he said.

Fillman responded that Keller would receive a counter proposal from the board.

“We’re working on that,” he said.

–Office Manager Jessie Beck informed the board that several discrepancies concerning employee benefits and costs had been discovered. The board decided to not hold the employees financially responsible for the discrepancies which have been cleared up.

–Systems Manager Crosby also said there was a problem with a hydrant on Mable Street adjacent to an alley. He suggested the hydrant be moved to a more prominent location at the Mable and Fourth Street intersection.

–Crosby also reported that water inspections have been completed at the new Dollar General site along Route 322 just inside Winslow Township. All that’s left to be done is install the meter. Board President Fillman wanted customers to know that Dollar General is paying the fees for those inspections.