VILLAS — Lower Township Municipal Utility Authority (MUA) approved a zero increase in water and sewer rates for 2009 at its annual reorganization meeting Feb. 4.
MUA Executive Director Mike DeMarcantonio said the resolutions covering the rates moved connection fees to a separate resolution.
Water and sewer rates will be handled at December or January meetings while connection fees will be addressed in April or March after MUA’s auditor has time to calculate the debt for the previous year, he said.
Lower Township Council is expected to pass an ordinance requiring mandatory water connections, when water mains become available in front of a home, at a cost of $1,600. Council will hold a public hearing on the ordinance Feb. 18.
MUA Commissioner Thomas Brown said the lack of a mandatory connection ordinance has caused the authority to “tread water” for a number of years. He urged those who want municipal water in their neighborhood to attend the Feb. 18 council meeting.
DeMarcantonio said the ordinance would allow MUA to finish installing water mains in Villas and begin installation in Town Bank. He said while Villas had a large plume of contamination effecting private wells, Town Bank had spotty contamination “all over the place” with several pollutants present in wells.
Homeowners will need to contract with a plumber to run a water line from the curb to their homes.
DeMarcantonio said there are 35 plumbers in the area that MUA will solicit for a price for home connections.
“Once we get that, we will probably publish the top 10 cheapest prices,” he said.
After going into closed session to discuss personnel matters, it was announced Matthew Ecker was hired as MUA superintendent/engineer. He has been serving as board engineer, employed by Remington, Vernick and Walberg.
DeMarcantonio said Ecker would be handling the superintendent’s position as well as some in-house engineering which will be a cost savings for the authority. Ecker’s starting salary will be $106,000.
Remington and Vernick will continue to handle a future project to construct a water tower at the Millman Center on Bayshore Road, said DeMarcantonio. He said Remington and Vernick would engineer other large projects but Ecker would handle smaller projects.
DeMarcantonio said MUA had four positions open but filled only three for a cost savings of $117,000 per year.
Ecker has worked in civil engineering since 1987. According to his resume, his experience includes the engineering, design, permitting and construction of water supply systems, wastewater systems, roadway construction, solid waste facilities and site remediation.
He served as an authority, municipal, zoning board and planning board professional engineer and planner. Ecker was authority engineer for the county MUA from 1999 to 2001 where he was construction manager for Phase 1 landfill closure and evaluated wastewater collection and treatment facilities.
Ecker worked on the Cape May, Benton Avenue storm water pump station and Queen Street storm water outfall pipe extensions. He also handled site design of the Wildwoods Convention Center.
He was Avalon’s engineer from 1999 to 2001 and construction manager 1987 to 1999 for municipal projects such as sewer pumping stations, water tank painting, utility pipe rehabilitation and roadway construction.
Ecker holds certifications from the state Department of Environmental Protection in wastewater operations S-1 and wastewater collections C-2.
During the reorganization, Peter Tourison was appointed as solicitor, Jeffrey Barnes as conflict solicitor, Marc DeBlasio of Remington Vernick and Walberg as engineer and Leon Costello of Ford-Scott Associates as auditor.
Peter Bitting was reelected as chairman, Thomas Brown as vice chairman, Wayne Weissman as treasurer, Nels Johnson as assistant treasurer, Emily Oberkofler as secretary/recording secretary and Mike DeMarcantonio as authority officer.
