A Reno resident voiced concerns at Wednesday’s Sugarcreek Borough Council meeting about ongoing water issues in Reno.
Borough solicitor Brian Spaid said the Public Utility Commission is in control of “whether or not Venango Water Co. is going to be continuing to operate your system. My understanding is that Venango Water Co. issued a notice to the PUC that they intend to walk away from every system that they own, which would include Sugarcreek Village,” Spaid added.
Spaid continued by saying “that’s a matter between the PUC and Venango Water Co. The borough can’t get involved in that, at least this government can’t, because it’s outside of our jurisdiction. It’s a PUC matter because it’s dealing with a water service company.”
Scott Steffy, an engineer with Aqua, attended October’s Franklin General Authority meeting with a draft agreement that proposed an interconnection line that would hook onto the waterline the authority owns in Sugarcreek Borough near Front Street.
During the November General Authority meeting, Franklin utilities director Kurt McFadden said Aqua Pennsylvania had begun the right-of-way process with PennDOT to hook an interconnection line onto the authority’s waterline in Sugarcreek to serve Reno.
A phone call made by the newspaper Thursday to Venango Water wasn’t returned.
Spaid said the borough’s building inspector is Tim Keller. Braatz said there is no signed contract and Spaid said he is unaware of that and can’t answer without doing some research.
“The problem right now is our zoning officer that set that up with him back then is no longer here,” borough administrator Joe Sporer said.
In an email to the newspaper, Braatz said she faxed over a Right to Know form in January requesting a copy of the signed contact, but has not yet received it.
Council approved its annual $25,000 donations to the Rocky Grove and Reno volunteer fire departments.
And Carlson said there will be a dedication ceremony for the Staff Sgt. Richard James Mulholland Memorial Bridge at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 21, at Cooperstown Community Church.
