March 10, 2010

Derry Municipal Authority to take over the Borough Sewage Treatment Plant. 

It was announced by Derry Borough council that ordnance number 573 has passed and the Sewage plant and all the collection system will become property of the Authority.  It is expected that the merger of the two departments will save the residents of Derry a substantial amount of money.  The Administration of the department will be transferred as well as all assets and liabilities.  The transfer is to take place over a period of several months. 

The Solicitor for the Authority has established a priority list of tasks to accomplish in order to have an orderly transition.  It was announced that the first task is employee transfer.  The legal team will be working with two unions.  Currently the Authority employees are represented by Teamsters local 30.  Concerns of seniority and benefits will be addressed. 

Customers of the Authority will not see much difference in the way they receive bills and service from the Authority.  Customers in Derry Borough already received their water and sewage bills from the office located at 620 N. Chestnut Street.

 After the initial transfer of employees, the team will address the asset transfer as well as the payments of the recent loans associated with two major rehabilitation sewage projects in Derry Borough.  The third street culvert project and the Fourth ward storm sewer separation project which was financed the Pennsylvania agency PENNVEST.  

The Authority Board of Directors likewise passed a motion to accept the sewage department at its January regular meeting. Manager Rich Thomas stated that this merger of the two departments will strengthen the Authority and establish for the residence of Derry Borough the necessary management team to face the ever increasing stringent regulations facing all Municipal entities.