Amwell Water Troubles Continue

AMWELL WATER TROUBLES CONTINUE

By Ken Bonnell
The Weekly Recorder
May 30, 2008

Last Thursday the Amwell Water Authority Board met with Trinity School board members Dennis McWreath and Gerald Chambers to discuss the situation between the Trinity School Board and the Authority. In particular was the tremendous water bill of $4,500+ a month for Trinity South from the Amwell Water Authority that was first brought to light by The Weekly Recorder.

McWreath and Chambers questioned the meter charges that Trinity has been paying over the past fourteen years. Don Bamberger, a Water Authority board member, stated that the charges went to American Water, but under further questioning by this reporter, he corrected himself and stated that the payment for charges did come to the Water Authority.

McWreath and Chambers also questioned whether the Authority’s liability insurance policy covered Trinity School District as the original agreement between the two parties required. The Authority was not sure if it did, nor could Trinity business manager Jim Shargots remember.

The Trinity School District, it was learned during the meeting, is still owed $587,000 by the Amwell Water Authority for the payment of all costs on the line development and installation. Trinity superintendent Tom Turnbaugh pointed out the high charges for water by the Water Authority and stated that the district would like to get paid back the money from the surplus money. Not surprising considering that the District has been paying about $50,000 a year to the Authority while receiving back $11,000 on the loan.

There are four issues that The Weekly Recorder has requested information regarding:

1) Copies of the CPA audits done by the Authority as required by the Municipal Authority Act. The act requires that an audit be done annually by a CPA and a copy will be filed. This report must be advertised in a paper of general circulation. Dick Bishop, chairman of the Authority stated that no audits have been done since the Authority was formed in January 1994. When Bishop was asked why this had happened, Bishop responded “He was listening to former supervisor Ike Iams and relied on what Iams said.”

2) Documents related to the tap in fees for residents. The Amwell Township supervisors were supposed to set a tap in fee for any resident tapping into the line. This was supposed to be done by resolution. The Weekly Recorder has requested those documents.

3) The Authority’s set regulations and by laws as required by law. These were not able to be produced by press time.

4) The Authority’s rate card. This rate card also could not be produced by press time.

5) How much money the Authority has in each of its accounts. Dick Bishop told us “I have no idea how much money we have” and was not able to produce information.

The meeting did produce one positive. Both sides agreed that the School Board is to have two representatives on the Authority board and those will be seated after the two groups solicitors hammered out a settlement.

We will continue to research and bring you the latest information on this developing investigative report.