Manhole monitoring pay rate rehashed
The second meeting of Salem Township auditors in less than a month again resulted in a pay rate set for a supervisor.
Auditors Wednesday set a compensation rate of $22 an hour for Supervisor Anders Johnson to monitor manholes for sewage overflows. That rate equals Johnson's hourly pay as a part-time roadmaster.
However, the vote was different this time. Auditors Jack Steele and Wilma Osterwise voted in favor of the pay rate, but Mark Branthoover voted against it. All three voted in favor of the rate at the Sept. 17 meeting.
Branthoover did not comment on why he voted against the motion. "I would like to, but I think I shouldn't," he said after the meeting. "It's not going to make much difference what I say."
A second meeting was held to set Johnson's pay rate because of a lack of notice at the meeting site. The meeting was advertised in a newspaper, but the state's Sunshine Law also requires a notice to be posted at the site.
The auditors also provided a period for public comment last night, which they had not done at the last meeting.
Supervisor Ed Gieselman last night repeated concerns he voiced on Sept. 17.
"I don't believe you have the right to meet," Gieselman said. "We should not be paying Andy for doing this particular job. You must set compensation comparable to the local rate for the same function. Since the current rates are zero, how can you set any compensation for this function?"
Gieselman submitted a letter to the auditors stating he would monitor the manholes free of charge.
He also questioned the ability of the auditors to hold their positions if they do business with the township.
Former supervisor Carmella Salvatore questioned the auditors' action, saying the motion passed by supervisors called for Johnson to be retained for these services.
"It said nothing about employees," Salvatore said. "You have no jurisdiction for someone who is being retained."
In June, the state Department of Environmental Protection ordered the township to implement a sewage monitoring plan within 15 days. At the July 17 supervisors' meeting, Johnson said he had "volunteered" for the job "when no one else volunteered," according to the minutes of the meeting.
The facility at issue is the Cramer pump station, which is located in the township but services portions of Delmont. During heavy storms, rainwater backs up and causes sewage to overflow the manholes. The state ordered Salem and Delmont to correct the problem and begin monitoring the rainfall.
Questions were raised again as to why someone would have to be paid for the work in view of an electronic monitoring system installed by the Franklin Township Municipal Authority.
Johnson has maintained that DEP would not accept electronic monitoring.
A motion to reimburse Johnson for personal truck use as per guidelines set by the Internal Revenue Service was passed by a unanimous vote yesterday.
