The Bradford Sanitary Authority board of directors on Tuesday unanimously approved the sanitary and stormwater operating budgets for 2018 with no increase in rates.
The sanitary budget was approved showing $3,229,725 in projected revenues and $3,229,789 in expenses, while the stormwater budget was OK’d with $646,980 in projected revenues and $646,737 in expenses.
Also during the meeting, authority executive director Rick Brocius summarized the stormwater work that has been done in 2017. Such work included replacing three collapsed lines, cleaning and video recording 7,500 feet of storm lines, cleaning of 32 storm inlets, conducting inspections and photographs of many system features and installing a new storm manhole on South Avenue.
Work continued year round on GPS mapping of the storm system and conducting condition assessments, as part of the authority’s asset management program, Brocius said. Additionally, the authority used the city’s department of public works resources in the repair of 35 catch basins and for the improvement of several drainage areas.
“While authority crews have done some preliminary planning on several potential stormwater projects throughout the city, the priority will remain on mapping and condition assessments to ensure that available funds are spent on the areas of greatest benefit. Only emergency repairs are being considered until the full system assessment has been completed,” Brocius said.
On the sanitary system in 2017, crews were able to address inflow and infiltration issues in the West Washington Street, West Corydon street, Elm Street and North Street areas. Crews are investigating potential inflow and infiltration sources on Congress, Chestnut and School streets, he said.
“New flow meter technology will be implemented in early 2018 as one of the first steps in the authority’s phase three plant upgrades,” Brocius said. “These meters will provide continuous live flow data to the treatment plant and field crews as to sudden increases in flow throughout the entire collection system. The new flow data will be digitally stored, and allow for the generation of reports and trends to aid in future (inflow and infiltration) reduction efforts, and better prepare the treatment plant at the onset of future wet weather events.”
Also during the meeting, engineer Jack Rae reported on the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority phone conference held Nov. 30 at the authority’s office detailing the project schedule for the phase three plant upgrades. Funding for the project consists of a $2.35 million grant and a $4.65 loan at one percent interest over 20 years.
The new reed bed technology is projected to save the authority an additional $2 million in sludge disposal costs over the life of the loan, further reducing the overall cost of the project, officials said. The tentative phase three project schedule will have construction starting in early May and running through the spring of 2019.
At a recent Bradford City Council meeting, council passed on first reading the expected 2018 wages of Department of Sanitation employees. The wages must be passed a second time before they are final.
Wages include: executive director, $96,449.60; office manager, $57,057; secretary/delinquent billing clerk, $43,816.50; sanitations operations manager, $64,459.20; sewage plant foreman, acting sewage plant foreman and sewer line foreman, $24.50 per hour; chief maintenance mechanic, $24 per hour; four operators, a maintenance mechanic and one utility crew member, $23.40 per hour; one operator and two utility crew members at $22.90 per hour; and three part-time summer laborers at $8.25 per hour.
Not all positions are filled.
