Hop Bottom thanks fire company

BY PAT FARNELLI

Hop Bottom borough council on Oct. 4 thanked the Hop Bottom Hook and Ladder Company and other many volunteers who helped with evacuation and flood cleanup.

The borough fared better with Hurricane Irene than it did with the Lee flood, but the first storm saturated the soil and creek banks and damaged the borough building itself.

Martin’s Creek did flood, and residents were evacuated or put on alert to be ready to evacuate.

Some of the road and stream bank repairs completed in the summer months were washed away, and drainage systems need to be once again unclogged of debris.

The council considered a switch to a central sewer system during the meeting, as two representatives fromBCMEngineers attended.

Council members queried James Griesemer of client development, wondering if the switch to a sewer system would benefit the borough, and whether or not it was necessary.

“We are wondering if we are going to be mandated,” said Councilman Ron Barankovich cerned about how the waste produced by the borough will affect the environment.

“Should you have it here, environmentally? Yes.” said Griesemer.

“If there is a malfunction, the sewage naturally finds its way to the creek,” he said.

Council members were fairly certain that Martin’s Creek is a high quality steam or exceptional value.

“Do you really need it (a central sewage system)? No, probably not at this time,” Griesemer said.

He added that DEP would look at the percentage of septic systems failing, and would only insist on a municipal sewer system if a high percentage were substandard.

“Central water and sewer attract businesses,” Griesemer noted. He said that if the borough opts not to set up a central sewer, they should adopt an ordinance for a two year septic pumping cycle for residences, so that septic system owners are tracked through the county.

He recommended that the ordinance require property owners to have their tanks or systems pumped out every two years.

According to Griesemer, DEP has grant funding providing a 50 percent reimbursement on what a municipality would spend putting a plan into action (including developing an ordinance).

“The central sewer is pretty far away until you do a treatment plant,” he said. “Until you adopt the plan, and make a commitment to it yourselves, you are not committed.”

The borough water system is owned by Aqua.

Flood cleanup dominated the remainder of the meeting. One area hit hard by Hurricanes Irene and Lee was the basin area near the railroad tracks and tower.

A question was raised whetherLenoxTownship, which owns the property just over the borough line, can chip in for the repairs.

Borough Secretary Deb Norton has pictures of the area prior to the storms.

In other business, the signs ordered from Molenko’s are done.

The board approved getting 6 by 6 lumber for the park fenceposts.

The borough building’s power was restored after more than a week.The building sustained significant damage to its exterior, its electrical system, and the phone lines. The building’s new roof, to be installed by contractor Mike Ainey, is scheduled for the second week of October.

A streetsurvey was conducted, andProspect Streetin particular had patches on top of patches, he said. The recommendation was made to take out the first 75 feet and completely repave it, adding a swale to run into a grate there.

Robert Shupp’s bid for $4526 to do that paving and fix all the potholes was accepted.

The council voted to accept the snow removal bid by Gary Sanauskas for $100 per hour, to include everything except the materials, which the borough will provide. Sanauskas provided snow removal services last winter.

A preliminary year to date budget report was handed out, and Norton said that she is still trying to verify all of the figures, as the previous secretary’s records are still being checked and put in order.

Borough Council meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the municipal building onForrest St.