Butler Township adds dissolution terms to BASA policy
BUTLER TWP — Township commissioners approved a resolution Monday, July 17, that will allow the Butler Area Sewer Authority to dissolve and pass its assets to a successor.
Township manager Tom Knights said BASA’s articles of incorporation did not include language regarding the authority’s dissolution. The language would be necessary if the sale of BASA’s assets to Pennsylvania American Water is approved by the state state Public Utilities Commission.
“This is to amend their articles of incorporation to empower them to basically take the steps that are necessary to wind down their operations and perform all necessary tasks in order to transfer assets and terminate,” Knights said. “We have to add those articles as one of two creating municipalities.”
Knights also said the added language will remain in the articles if the sale of BASA to the water company is not approved by the Public Utilities Commission.
Commissioners also approved the creation of a handicap parking space on Chesapeake Street. Commissioners chairman Dave Zarnick suggested a review of the township’s handicap parking policy.
Butler Township police chief John Hays said the municipality reviews requests for new handicap parking spaces and is working on an application system where people would have to renew the spaces on their street from time to time.
Zarnick said a handicap spot may be granted to a specific person who requests one, but once they are installed, anyone with a handicap plate or placard may use it. Rebecca Black, Butler Township solicitor, also said the review process involves a look at the area of the request.
“If it gets to the point where handicap spots outnumber the available spots in an area, they can be denied on that basis,” she said. “That’s why the chief looks into it — not only to confirm the requirements are being met, but that it’s appropriate for the area.”
The commissioners also donated $6,660 from its Guys Who Grill event to the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation’s Kids’ Weekend Backpack Program.
Audray Muscatello Yost, a leader of the backpack program, told commissioners that the program helps feed more than 450 students per weekend during the school year, and the donation will help start off the new year.
“That $6,660 is going to get us a lot of food, especially to start the year,” Yost said. “So we appreciate it so much.”
