Borough of Somerset Municipal Authority Meeting
May 18th, 2026 – 6:30 p.m. (In-Person) Borough Council Room

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Borough Borough of Somerset Municipal Authority Meeting
May 18th, 2026 – 5:00 p.m. (In-Person) Borough Council Room

1. Meeting Called to Order – Ben Flower at 5:03 p.m.

2. Roll Call     
    a. Authority Board Members Present: Ben Flower, Lee Hoffman, Jeff Shaffer and Todd Thomas.        

b. Also Present: Municipal Authority Manager, Jessica Sizemore; Borough Manager In Training, Roger Bailey; Director of Finance, Brett Peters; Solicitor, Bill Barbin; Consulting  Engineer, Jake Bolby.

    c. Public Attendance:
       None.

3. Approval of Agenda
    A. Approval of Agenda – Review and approval of the Agenda for May 18th,  2026 Meeting.
        a. Motion to approve the Agenda as presented with the amendment that Executive Session will be held after the meeting is adjourned.
Mr. Shaffer moved, Mr. Hoffman seconded.

Motion Unanimously Carried

    B. Executive Session  - Contract Negotiation. Executive Session was held after the meeting was adjourned.

4. Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting(s)
A. Approval of Meeting Minutes – Meeting Minutes from the April 27th, 2026 Municipal Authority of the Borough of Somerset Board Meeting.
        a. Motion to approve the Meeting Minutes from April 27th, 2026 Municipal Authority of the Borough of Somerset Board Meeting.
Mr. Flower moved, Mr. Shaffer seconded.

Motion Unanimously Carried
5. Opening of Bids
A. None

6. General Public Comments
A. None

7. Payment of Bills/Requisitions
A. None

8. Policy Agenda

    A.Old Business
         i. None
            
B. New Business
a. Property 420062850, 1012 Center Ave. Acquisition
             i. Motion to approve the purchase of Property 420062850, 1012 Center Ave., through the Tax Claim Borough in the amount of $15,682.47.
Acquisition of this property would provide additional land needed for future Wastewater Treatment Facility rehabilitation and upgrades associated with the Sewer System Improvements Project.  The purchase cost is eligible to be incorporated into the project budget and reimbursed through project funding.
                Mr. Flower moved, Mr. Thomas seconded.

Motion Unanimously Carried

        b. Water Treatment – Coxes Creek Plant SCADA Upgrades
            i. Motion to approve the proposal provided by DARR Construction, co-stars contractor, for the SCADA upgrades to Coxes Creek SCADA system, in the amount of $184,690.00.
               The Authority reviewed the Water Treatment Plant's 2026 Capital Budget request for a comprehensive SCADA/computer system upgrade at the treatment facilities. Although Borough Council approved $150,000 for the project during the November 2025 budget discussions, the final cost exceeds the approved amount. To offset the increased expense, the purchase of a pickup truck previously approved in the Capital Budget will be deferred and resubmitted as part of the 2027 budget requests.               Mr. Flower moved, Mr. Shaffer seconded.

Motion Unanimously Carried

 

        c. Acknowledgement of PENNVEST Pay Requests as noted below
i.Sewer Systems Improvements Project, Phase 1A Construction - Pay Request No. 7, Loan 71501 in the amount of $752,144.29.
ii. Sewer Systems Improvements Project, Phase 1A Design/Engineering Services - Pay Request No. 8, Loan 77141 in the amount of $40,578.65.

9. Reports

a. Manager’s Report – Update on Operations.

• The Borough’s water service line inventory remains ongoing to identify the material on the system side of each service line. Excavation is being performed at curb stops to complete the evaluation, and any necessary curb stop repairs are being addressed at that time. The full water system inventory is required to be completed by November 2027.  

     
b. Engineer’s Report – Update on the Status of Projects for Water, Sewer and Stormwater.

SEWER:
1) Assessment, Repair, and Abatement Plan (Hydraulic Overload):

• For Phase 1A, Payment Application has been reviewed and recommended for approval. 

• A Pre-Construction Meeting with the contractor, First Fruits Excavating, will be held May 19th, 2026 for Phase 1B.  Their “Notice to Proceed” is June 1st,
  2026.

• Phase 1C is actively out for bids.  Bids will be opened June 11th, 2026.  Construction will begin in the October/November 2026 timeframe.

• Submission for the Permit will be sent to DEP for Phase 1D within a few weeks.  The PENNVEST Funding Application will be submitted by the cut-off
  date of July 29th, 2026.

• Post-Construction Flow Monitoring Phase 1 will follow.  Phase 2 & Phase 3 is still to be determined.

        GENERAL:
1)  Center Ave. Revitalization Project:
The contractor will be starting the sidewalk replacement, where certain sections of the sidewalk failed and need fixed, tentatively in early June 2026. 

 

c. Facility Reports for April 2026 – Provided on the portal for informational purposes.

d. April 2026 Financial Report & Monthly Transactions – Provided on the portal for
        informational purposes.

10. Adjournment
A. Adjournment             
a. Motion to adjourn.
              Mr. Hoffman moved to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Shaffer.                     

                                                                           Motion Unanimously Carried
5:16 p.m.

B. Next Meeting:
a. June 22nd, 2026 @ 6:30 p.m. 

  _________________________________________
Jessica Sizemore, Municipal Authority Manager