The weather so far this year has been causing some difficulties for harvesting timber on Bradford City Water Authority property.
At this week’s meeting, Ken Kane, president of Generations Forestry, provided an update.
“The ash salvage off Interstate Parkway has been hampered by inclement weather creating poor road conditions,” he reported. “Currently due to the poor weather conditions, all watershed roads are locked and closed to all traffic.”
Kane said a new invasive species is being monitored to make sure it doesn’t start on the watershed.
“It is called glossy buckthorn and has absolutely no value,” he said. “It grows extremely thick and smothers the forest floor, killing all the higher valued hardwoods. The foresters are also going to spot treat individual pockets of beech stumps that were processed to ensure no new growth appears.”
In other news, the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative deer pellet counting process will begin next week on the 12,000-acre watershed.
Also at the meeting, Authority Executive Director Steve Disney said a capital improvement proposal along with cost estimates is being prepared by Bankson Engineers for improvements to the water treatment plant. Bankson Engineers conducted a draft planning review meeting with the authority staff in mid-February to review draft proposals. An architectural engineer from Bankson Engineers visited the water treatment plant and will provide preliminary plans and drawings for review.
He gave an update on the water delinquency rates, explaining rates had dropped slightly during February.
Disney said the authority continues to work with Johnson Controls evaluating various elements and components to upgrade its metering system. Meetings continue to be held to review and establish next steps in the process. Large meters (3 inches and above) will begin to be tested Monday. Those customers involved have been notified and scheduled.
Tuesday’s visit from Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., was mentioned, too. Disney said the authority was awarded $1.5 million in bipartisan supported funding. Casey presented the award at a press conference held at the authority’s 3.5 million gallon finished water reservoir on Prospect Street. The funding will be used to install new gate valves along the 5.5 mile stretch of original 24-inch transmission main installed in 1955.
Also at the meeting, water authority service awards were detailed as being given at a March 1 luncheon. Those earning awards were Corey Burns, 5 years; Bob Douglas, 10 years; Steve Vecellio, 25 years; Troy Coppella, 25 years; and Tim Myers, 30 years.
