The Robeson Township Board of Supervisors reviewed and approved another draft of the On Lot Disposal System (OLDS) ordinance at a Tuesday meeting, April 21, and Allen Madeira, the township’s Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) proposed a fee schedule that will go into effect along with the ordinance.
At last month’s meeting, the board approved enactment of the OLDS ordinance (#15-01) under the recommendation of Solicitor Chris Hartman.
The most recent draft of the ordinance (#15-03) includes an amendment that alters the requirements for submission of receipts and inspection reports, transferring the responsibility of such submissions from the pumper/hauler, who carries out the inspections and pumping, to the property owner, who will be required to submit proper documentation proving that the system has been pumped and fees have been paid within the required timeline.
“What you see on this draft ordinance is the deleted language and inserted language,” said Hartman.
The board reviewed the draft and approved it for advertisement with the goal of adopting it in May.
Madeira attended Tuesday’s meeting to propose a fee schedule to the board that will coincide with the new Sewage Management Program (SMP) required by state law and the OLDS ordinance.
Madeira suggested a 100-percent fee schedule, which he says “addresses issues with the faulty reimbursement program” the state has offered in the past.
“What this resolution is, every fee on here is exactly what we have in place now,” said Madeira. “Nothing is different. What is different is that instead of the township paying 20 percent of the costs in hopes of reimbursement from the state, now applicants will pay the full 100 percent of the fees.”
Madeira suggested this due to the fact that the state’s reimbursement program has fallen apart, and the township has lost money.
“In the interest of not losing that money, many townships have already switched to a 100-percent fee schedule,” he said.
Madeira calls the fees that would be required the “bare-bones minimum.”
They would include the following: a Robeson Township administrative fee of 10 percent, which would be charged with all subdivision and permit related activities, and would be retained by the township to cover funding; an SMP administrative fee of $35 that covers notification to residents and general paperwork and is collected once every three years in accordance with the SMP three-year rotation; a late fee, which is simply the original fee doubled; and a fee of $50 to anyone who chooses to use an unregistered pumper for inspection.
There is also a recommended fee of $25 or less, at the discretion of the board, which would be paid by pumpers who opt to become registered within the township.
Some residents grumbled at these requirements, and resident Joy Graham expressed concern with the fact that it is the property owner’s responsibility to pay and submit receipts/reports.
“I still don’t understand why they [pumpers] can’t send you a quarterly report with each person they’ve pumped, who they’ve inspected,” she said. “That just takes all the paperwork and garbage out of it. The pumpers I’ve talked to have no problem doing that, so why do we have to do all this manual stuff?”
Madeira explained that the township wants to maintain a working relationship and communication with its residents through this process, and they are trying to follow mandates passed down by the state and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
“We’re not looking for quarterly answers, we’re looking for once every three year answers,” said Madeira.
Graham remained concerned with the expectation of the property owner to submit all paperwork and pay the fees.
“This is an unfunded mandate from the state government,” said Hartman. “DEP does not believe that home owners are capable of managing their own on lot septic systems, and they are requiring the township to implement this program.”
Madeira assured residents in attendance that the fee schedule is one of the best there is, and that surrounding townships charge higher fees.
“I’m not inventing this,” he said. “One way or another, it has to be funded. The state isn’t giving us any money.”
Despite resident concerns, the board agreed to approve the fee schedule.
The township will be split into three districts, and beginning with the first district, residents will be required to have their on lot systems pumped within a three-year period, providing all proper documentation and paying the accompanying fees.
Madeira has been working on a brochure that will inform residents on the new SMP and its requirements. He has assured the board and residents that he will work hard to make sure everyone is fully informed before the three-year rotation begins.
The next Robeson Township Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on May 19 at 7 p.m. in the township building.