STORM
WATER FEE UPDATE
September
18, 2019
After months of negotiation the
Township and WVSA entered into an agreement this week wherein Lehman Township
is now a non-MS4 permit member of the stormwater program administered by WVSA.
This agreement is valid as long as Lehman Township does not have an MS4 permit.
The Township received a waiver for our MS4 permit in March of 2019. The waiver
is good until March of 2024. We will reapply for the waiver in accordance with
the scheduled requirements. As long as there are no changes, we should be able
to extend it in the future for five-year intervals. What this means to our
residents is that they will not be invoiced by WVSA for at least the next five years.
Anyone that has paid their bill will be receiving a refund for all monies paid.
WVSA plans to have all refund checks mailed by the middle of October.
We entered into the agreement because
it is the most economical method to protect our residents from a huge tax
increase if we are not able to continue with an MS4 waiver in the future. If
the Township is forced to comply with the mandate on our own, the cost in the
first year would require everyone’s property tax to double and would exceed
over 3 million dollars over the first five years. Staying in the program at no
direct cost to our residents is like having an insurance policy in the event
that we have to comply to the MS4 requirements in the future.
During the last few months I’ve learned
a lot about the mandate handed down by the federal government’s EPA. Recently I
was in a meeting with Congressman Meuser, Senator Baker, Representative Boback
and representatives of the EPA’s Philadelphia office. We spent hours discussing
issues and problems with the program in general and particularly the financial burden
being placed on our residents. I now have begun communications with the EPA
reps to continue to educate myself on the evolving changes to the MS4
requirements as it pertains to our Township.
In the near future if allowed, I want
to review the maps of all the Township properties placed in the Tier 3 category.
My professional background in Surveying and Engineering qualifies me to review
these parcels to be sure that the property lines defining each parcel are accurate
and to correct any problems. The property owners that requested a review during
the billing cycle discovered that there were errors and received a reduction. Many
ended up in the Tier 2 category. We need to be prepared in the event that we have
to get back in the program.
Thanks to our attorney, Jack Haley
for assisting me in the negotiation and to WVSA for understanding and cooperating
in resolving the unique situation created when we got our waiver. In all my years as one of your Supervisors,
this has been the most difficult issue to deal with for me personally. As long
as I’m here and able, I’ll continue to do everything possible to minimize the
burden to our residents. Thank you all for your patience and understanding
during this process.
Dave Sutton, Chairman
Lehman Township Supervisors
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