PINE GROVE - The chairman of the Pine Grove Joint Treatment Authority established a new committee in June during the board's meeting.
The Ad Hoc Committee, formed by Will Hanson, will evaluate the relocation of the administration building which is now situated in the southern end of Pine Grove to the property where the treatment plant is located in Pine Grove Township off Route 443. John Stahl and Kevin Rittenbaugh were appointed to the committee.
Training
The personnel committee is busy working with Herring Coach, Schuylkill Haven, who had been hired in January to provide management technique training for the treatment plant supervisor, Nick Stark. Owner Wayne Herring was contracted for a six-month period and was expected to spend about four hours or more each month with Stark, either at the plant or at a restaurant over coffee.
Since the training will be completed this month, committee members Mark Todero and Hanson will work on making changes to the employee review system, as well as the employee handbook, and setting some goals to measure performance.
Increases
Recommendations from the Compensation and Operation Committee were made and approved by the members. Increases of 3 percent were approved for both the full-time and part-time employees, as well as the two yearly employees, Stark and Business Manager Diane Tobin. The annual "opt-out" of insurance option was also increased from $2,000 to $2,500.
With a resolution adopted by the board last month to participate in PennVest's nutrient credit auctions, the authority has already sold 6,000 units to the Northern Lebanon County Authority at a cost of $2 per pound, or $12,000.
Banking
Tobin reported Santander Bank has made an interest rate offer to the authority for deposits of any new money more than $10,000, and she had contacted Fulton Bank to see if they would match their rates. Since a response had not been received from Fulton as of the meeting date, the members agreed to not take any action on moving funds at this time.
The board did agree to a five-year audit proposal from Garcia, Garman and Shea PC, Lebanon, the authority's current auditing firm. Although quotes had been solicited, only one was received. The fees proposed are $6,900 for 2014 and 2015; $7,000 for 2016 and 2017; and $7,100 for 2018.
The board also approved a monthly cleaning proposal for the administration building from Blyth Cleaning, Pottsville. In addition to the $75 monthly rate, bi-monthly and quarterly service rates were also available from the company.