SHARPSVILLE, PA. Council tables action on plant

Water rates will go up no matter what.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- Borough officials aren't ready to hire a consultant to advise them on the future of the municipal water plant.
A motion by Councilman Guy Moderelli on Wednesday to hire RDM Resource Development Management Inc. of Pittsburgh to study options and come up with some recommendations failed for lack of a second.
A later motion tabled the plan.
The borough water plant needs major improvements or replacement, and officials are looking at various options.
Renovation estimates have come in at about $1.8 million while a complete plant replacement has been pegged at about $3.2 million.
Consumers Pennsylvania Water Co., Shenango Valley Division, has offered to buy the plant outright for $5.124 million.
Rates would increase
In any scenario, the water rates would go up for the average consumer -- from about $23 to about $37 per month if the plant is replaced, or about $33 a month for a renovation.
The average residential monthly rate is $35, but the company has offered to gradually increase existing borough rates to Consumers' rates over a five-year period.
Moderelli said council needs all the information it can gather to make an informed decision that will be in the borough's best interest. That includes hiring a consultant to give advice, he said.
Councilman Gus Grandy argued that council already has all the facts and needs only to have some questions answered.
Grandy favors renovating the plant and said Sharpsville should be able to get E.A. Winslow & amp; Associates, a Hermitage-based company that does a lot of engineering work in the borough, to take a look at the plant for free and give officials an idea of what it would cost to upgrade it.
"I think we're jumping the gun," said Councilman Bob Piccirilli, after Moderelli introduced a motion to hire RDM.
Awaiting word from state
The borough hasn't heard from the state Department of Environmental Protection yet about what it thinks the plant needs, he said.
Councilman Alex Kovach said the plant's operators recently told officials an engineer who has done some work in the borough in the past told them the plant could be upgraded for $700,000.
Borough Manager Michael Wilson said DEP has already told the borough it needs to make some water filtration and holding tank improvements by late 2004 to stay in compliance with state drinking water regulations.
That cost is unknown, Wilson said, adding that borough officials will meet with DEP representatives Wednesday in an effort to find out what other improvements might be required.
gwin@vindy.com