For the second month in a row, Elverson residents filled the meeting room for the Elverson Borough Council in hopes of receiving new information about Sunoco’s proposed pipeline, which would transport methane, ethane and butane through the borough.
Resident Jim Huxoll, who attended last month’s meeting with concerns, returned to ask council if any new information is available.
“Has council taken a position regarding the easement expansion one way or another?” asked Huxoll. “If so, what action, if any, does council plan to take in support of their position, and why?”
Council President Shirley Crehan assured residents in attendance that council is in support of protecting them and the borough.
“I don’t think it is the intent of this council to sign the contract,” she said.
However, Crehan also stated that widening of easements is a specific of the contract that likely cannot be renegotiated by council.
Mayor Bob Broderick said that although relations are cordial, he would “liken it to fighting with a different opponent.”
“We’re dancing with each other, just feeling each other out,” said Broderick. “We’re not going to undercut our homeowners, so we’ll dance as long as we can.”
Council was supposed to meet with a Sunoco representative on May 6, the day following last month’s council meeting. However, the meeting fell through. Council has maintained correspondence with representatives of Percheron, LLC., the company managing Sunoco’s pipeline project, but only recently was given the opportunity to set up a meeting with a representative of Sunoco.
“We called Sunoco, and Bob [Broderick] was the contact person to set up the meeting,” said Crehan. “It took until this morning to get that meeting, so that’s part of the dance.”
The borough is slated to host an open house on June 10 at Brandywine Manor House in Honey Brook. Attendees must sign up for one of two time slots at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The open house will address concerns and provide further information about the pipeline.
“I think it’s important that representatives of the town, those people affected, and council go to that meeting,” said Crehan. “I think it’s our only chance to see if there are Sunoco representatives there.”
Prior to the open house, Crehan plans to hold a private, informal meeting in her home on June 4, inviting those affected by the easement expansion to get together and discuss their ideas. This meeting is closed to public.
“I am holding this meeting as a resident,” she said. “It is to see what it is we want to do as residents and what our strategy should be at that open house the following Wednesday.”
Council Vice President Merle Stoltzfus also informed council that he met with an attorney to better understand the contract and paperwork he received in the mail.
“I met with an attorney today just because it’s complicated,” said Stoltzfus. “I found representation because I’m not going to read 50 pages and understand everything that’s in there anyway. I haven’t signed any agreement with any attorney. I just wanted to talk with an attorney about where the process is. When you get a letter that say you have 10 days to respond, I just wanted to know whether that’s strong-arming or if there’s actually some substance to that, and the fact is that it’s strong-arming.”
The attorney Stoltzfus met with advised him not to sign anything at this point.
Crehan said that this process is still in its beginning stages, and it is unclear what the next move should be for council and residents.
“I think everybody is sitting at the same point,” she said. “We’re not sure what to do next. We are in a reactionary mode. I don’t know what we need to do that would be proactive. Going to the meeting is important. Having speaking points is important. From there, I don’t know if it’s a council role or an individual leadership role that we’d have to pursue.”
Council has assured residents that everyone will be working together to get to the other side of this issue.
The next Elverson Borough Council meeting will be held on July 7 at 7 p.m. in the Elverson Borough Hall.
