Financial advisers to aid with BASA sale revenue
Butler City Council plans to bring in three financial advisers over the course of three meetings to discuss in an open forum what the city could do with its share of the money from the sale of the Butler Area Sewer Authority.
Butler and Butler Township are in the midst of selling BASA’s assets to Pennsylvania American Water Company for $231.5 million, a sale that is being evaluated by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission before the transfer can be official.
Butler Mayor Dandoy said at a meeting Thursday, Feb. 23, that he and Councilman Don Shearer have met with six financial advisers over how the city could best spend its half of the money from the sale and make it into a worthwhile investment.
“These are careful steps we have to make,” Dandoy said. “We want to be ready that as soon as the money is ready to come our way, we are ready to start moving on it and have it make the impact we want it to make.”
Also at the meeting, officials from the water company presented an Act 537 plan to council in preparation for the company’s pending purchase of the sewer authority’s assets.
The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act requires sewage companies to update their plans to address existing sewage disposal needs and to help prevent future problems through the proper planning, permitting and design of all types of sewage facilities.
Maggie Weitzel, environmental scientist with the water company, said the plan involves a 60-day comment period where the water company would have to respond to comments relayed through a municipality to the company.
“We do have to address any comments, per the Department of Environmental Protection,” she said. “So we work together to answer those and make sure we have a copy and everybody agrees with our reply.”
Sam Miller, project manager with Pennsylvania American, said this process is a regular procedure for sewage companies.
“Nothing really changes as far as service, no expansions are part of it, it’s pretty much staying,” he said. “We’ll take over and we’ll take responsibility.”
Dandoy said BASA has filed Act 547 plans every year, so some of the water company’s presentation was familiar to council.
Council accepted a $15,000 grant from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner, which Councilman Larry Christy said will be used to support the Butler Bureau of Fire.
“There is no city match required for that,” said Bureau of Fire chief Chris Switala. “It’s just a grant for equipment. I think this year we are updating our ventilation and then some personal protective equipment.”
Council also approved more road closures in preparation for upcoming events on Main Street.
Main Street from Diamond Park to Penn Street will close from 8:15 to 10:45 a.m. June 24 for the Butler Road Race, sponsored by Butler County Family YMCA. Additionally, Main Street from Wayne Street to West Pearl Street will close from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. June 25 for Cruise-A-Palooza, sponsored by the Rodfathers of Butler.
Bureau of Police chief Robert O’Neill said at the meeting that people should be aware that these closures are taking place on two consecutive days.
