Patti Hutchinson Group

Highs and lows of Limerick Township sewer system sale Limerick Township recently sold its sewer system to Aqua PA for $75.1 million, which will allow the township to pay off existing debt, including the $5.2 million the township borrowed to complete the $10.5 million township building. Once all debts are paid, the township will have $55 million on hand, which it intends to invest with hopes of using the investment proceeds to pay for capital projects and other future costs. T...ownship Supervisor Ken Sperring even remarked that he could see no reason for another township tax hike for 30 years. On the other side of the coin, however, is that the deal to sell the sewer system includes a rate freeze for the next three years. After the three-year rate freeze expires, public records indicate a rate increase of as much as 84 percent in the base rate of Limerick sewer bills is possible. The base rate is the amount charged to customers no matter how much water they use. The current base rate of $38 could jump to $70 and would push the annual base rate for sewer service from $456 per year to $840, according to figures contained in the public documents related to the sale examined by Digital First Media. Township Supervisor Dan Kerr said the township was going to have to raise sewer rates in the future to pay for an estimated $20 million in upgrades and repairs to the sewer system, no matter who owns it. However, the base rate hike increase that was considered by the township was closer to $50 to $55 per month, less than the possible Aqua increase. Source: Times Herald; 9/9/2018 See more

Who will pay the cost for privatization of public water systems in PA? Pennsylvania Act 12 was enacted in 2016 to encourage the consolidation of smaller water and wastewater systems under private ownership. By removing a prior standard deduction of any grant money used to build, expand or improve the infrastructure from the assessed value, Act 12 allows municipal utilities to sell for higher prices. It has also provided a convenient way for municipalities to monetize an asset... and get professional help repairing and maintaining old, distressed systems. When combined with a 2012 act that allows a utility to spread the acquisition costs to all its ratepayers across the state, there is an industry-friendly environment for private water utilities to expand their reach. However, some Act 12 privatizations have aroused opposition from The Office of Consumer Advocate, an arm of the state attorney general, as well as other anti-privatization advocacy groups that say the sales will only bring higher rates. Source: Philly.com; 9/5/2018 See more

Montco commissioners approve plans to boost bike infrastructure Montgomery County Commissioners unanimously approved a plan to create 800 miles of bike infrastructure in the county. The Montgomery County Planning Commission unveiled its Bike Montco plan in late June. The plan, which will enhance the county’s efforts to advance bicycle and pedestrian mobility, was developed using a Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) grant from the Delaware Valley Regi...onal Planning Commission (DVRPC). The plan, which includes design improvements and key policies for bicycle safety, fully addresses the current bicycle needs of the county by examining existing conditions and focusing on bicycling destinations and preferred routes and the countywide bicycle network utilizing state, county and local roads, and trails. Members of the interagency committee that developed the plan, along with representatives from the county, SEPTA and PennDOT, will sit down with regional planning commissions and municipal groups to gather further feedback on the plan, said Matthew Edmond, transportation section chief of the planning commission. Source: Philly.com; 8/10/2018 See more

Growing Bridgeport Together promotes revitalization Bridgeport residents John and Diane Gundrum would often attend borough council meetings to provide suggestions on how to make Bridgeport Borough come alive again. After one meeting, the council president approached the couple and suggested they start an organization where their beliefs, ideas and goals for the borough could be heard. In January, the pair founded Growing Bridgeport Together, a nonprofit organization dedicat...ed to promoting programs and events involving community organizations, artists and musicians for the development and improvement of the community. Their first event, Twilight on the River, debuted in May with more than 1,200 attendees. Twilight on the River is held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from May through October, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at 98 Dekalb Pike along the Schuylkill River. Individuals interested in joining Growing Bridgeport Together should contact [email protected] or [email protected]. See more

WCU: Close Church Street on campus Next month a West Chester Borough Council committee will begin reviewing a request by West Chester University that the borough abandon three blocks of public streets that run through its campus in a bid to make the area safer for pedestrians and more sustainable. Representatives of the university presented a plan to the council asking that it vacate two blocks of South Church Street, from Sharpless Street to Rosedale Avenue, and the block of... University Avenue between South High and South Church streets. The proposal, which would bring a payment of $400,000 to the borough from the university for reimbursement of lost parking revenue from the streets, was referred to the council’s Smart Growth Committee. If the council ultimately agrees to the plan, it would need to adopt an ordinance formally abandoning the streets, Borough Manager Michael Perrone said. There are a host of issues that would have to be addressed for the borough to go ahead with the plan to vacate the streets, including arrangements for emergency vehicle access to the campus, and rerouting of SEPTA and university buses that use South Church Street. Source: Daily Local; 7/23/2018 See more