DEP Fines to Ford City Suspended
Ford City Borough Manager Eden Ratliff updated the current situation yesterday.
by Jonathan Weaver
Ford City Borough officials are breathing a small sigh of relief today after a meeting with Department of Environmental Protection officials yesterday.
Borough Manager Eden Ratliff gave an update following the multi-hour meeting in Pittsburgh yesterday afternoon.
“Gibson-Thomas did an excellent job negotiating why we wanted that fine reduced and how it would be beneficial for Ford City,” Ratliff said. “They did suspend the January 15 deadline – we do not have to pay anything by the 15th – and they will correspond with us once they have made a decision on how much they are going to fine us and when it will have to be paid by.
“We’re going to keep improving our water system, and when we hear from DEP, we’ll handle it when it comes.”
Ford City Borough currently has $63,250 in fines for failing to fulfill a consent order for plans for the new water treatment system under former Borough Engineer James Garvin. Garvin was unanimously fired at the end of April 2014 and Gibson-Thomas Engineering of Latrobe (Westmoreland County) was hired and complimented on their work so far during the past nine months.
Ratliff said Ford City would pay the fines via the Borough Public Utility fund if needed. The fines originally had to be paid by tomorrow.
The meeting was attended locally by the three Borough Council water committee members - including Council Vice-President Jerry Miklos, Councilman Josh Abernathy, and Councilwoman Vickie Schaub filling in for Council President Kathy Bartuccio -, Solicitor Anthony Vigilante and Borough Manager Eden Ratliff
Ford City Borough was even supported by State Rep. Jeff Pyle and an official from Sen. Don White’s office.
“We were very thankful to have (the state elected officials) there,” Ratliff said.
Ford City met with four members of DEP’s Safe Drinking Water Program – including Program Manager Alan Eichler. The same group has been working with Ford City during the repayment and will also consider the fine assessment.
DEP Spokesperson John Poister of the Southwest Regional Office said the DEP officials recognized Ford City Borough’s financial struggles and limitations.
“This was a very cordial meeting – (Ford City Borough) asked us if there was any way we could deal with that fine. We customarily don’t negotiate these fines because the consent order agreement is a binding document but we did agree to take their concerns under advisement,” Poister said. “We’ll look at it and see if there is in fact anything we can do.”
Ratliff and Poister both agreed that the fines will not have an effect on the current permit applications filed by Gibson-Thomas for the water treatment plant. That decision is expected by next month.
“This is a separate issue, and has no impact on their application,” Poister said.
Monday’s Council approval of paying at least the $63,250 in fines is now void.
Ford City, Local News | jweaver January 14, 2015
By jorn jensen, January 14, 2015 @ 9:11 AM
How much sense does it make to fine a town that can’t afford to pay the fine? That makes about as much sense as fining someone because they can’t afford healthcare insurance.
By blutoblutarsky, January 16, 2015 @ 10:55 AM
jorn- What are you suggesting? That when existing rules or laws are broken the actor should be let off if they can’t pay? How intelligent lol
That makes about as much sense as letting speeders off their ticket if they have a low bank balance.
(I see you still have Obama and the ACA on your mind! How is that man crush working for you?)