FRACKVILLE - The Frackville Area Municipal Authority Board of Directors formally adopted its 2014 operating budget at Wednesday's meeting.
The budget holds the line on the sewage service fee at $112.50 per quarter. The service fee was increased in 2013 from $90.
The 2014 budget includes projected income of $1,848,803 in 2014, with projected expenses of $1,833,900, leaving a surplus balance of $14,903. By comparison, the 2013 budget had income estimated at $1,618,153 and expenses estimated at $1,599,700, leaving a balance of $18,453.
A budget breakdown of expenditures for this year are:
- Operations expenses: $793,600 ($630,500 in 2013). The larger line items in this category are wages ($75,000), workers compensation ($6,000), equipment rental ($12,000), engineering fees ($50,000), health benefits ($9,000), stone ($10,000), street restoration ($70,000), collection system repairs ($125,000), capital outlay operations ($75,000), liability insurance ($18,000) and M&T Bank financing payments ($314,000).
- Administrative expenses: $217,900 ($167,900 in 2013). The larger line items are salaries ($65,000), board of directors salaries ($4,500), computer service ($12,000), health benefits ($9,000), financial audit ($7,000) and capital outlay administration ($70,000).
- Sewage plant expenses: $822,400 ($801,300 in 2013). The larger line items are salaries ($92,000), pump maintenance ($50,000), supplies ($35,000), electricity ($110,000), natural gas-heating ($20,000), licenses/fees/permits ($15,000), plant chemicals ($20,000), lab testing ($35,000), health benefits ($53,000), repairs and improvements ($150,000), biosolids disposal ($35,000), capital outlay plant ($80,000), PENNVEST payment ($50,000) and M&T Bank 2012 loan ($43,000).
In another financial matter, the FAMA board approved the monthly billing in 2014 to the State Correctional Institution-Frackville at $33,621.51, which is increased from $20,600 per month in 2013. The rate the state prison pays is determined on the percentage of sewage/wastewater released into the distribution system as compared to the overall treatment total.
"This is higher than what we charged them last year, and it's due to the fact that their flow is up and our flow is down because we took care of some of the problem areas in the system," FAMA office manager Rhonda Frantz said. "They (prison) will get a letter after this meeting - like they do every year - that this is what they are going to be charged."
The annual election of officers was held at the beginning of the meeting. New board member Paul Klevis was welcomed to the board. He replaces Delmar Phillips, who was not reappointed in December by Frackville Borough Council.
The votes for board officers kept the status quo. The board will continue with William Rhoades as president, Carl Pyzowski as vice president, David Gera as treasurer and James Flail as secretary. Klevis was elected as assistant secretary/treasurer.
The board voted to retain Paul Domalakes as solicitor and Entech Engineering Inc., Pottsville, as consulting engineer.