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Marla Marcinko
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TAB 7
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)
September 1, 2004
WATER SYSTEM MERGER POSSIBLE COUNCIL WANTS RATE INCREASE LIMIT
IN ANY AGREEMENT WITH HARMONY
Author: MAUREEN BYKO
Zelienople council is willing to consider a water system merger, but only if the average
residential rate would rise by no more than $3 per month, an increase of slightly more than 10
percent.
The borough has been talking for months with officials from neighboring Harmony about the
potential merger. Council discussed the proposal's financial ramifications Monday without
coming to conclusions.
Zelienople Manager Marla Marcinko said the merger would make financial sense only if the
average residential rate could be held at $30 per month. She said the average monthly bill now is
$27.
Officials from Zelienople and Harmony will turn to state Sen. Jane Clare Orie, R-McCandless,
and state Rep. Richard R. Stevenson, R-Grove City, for financial help. In particular, the
communities hope to tap into the state's Safe Water Fund, which Marcinko said holds $14
million for distribution statewide.
The grant money is distributed at the discretion of individual legislators, she said.
No details on the amount of money necessary for the Zelienople/Harmony merger have been
presented publicly. Both boroughs have held limited open discussions on the proposal, saying
they are waiting for a final report from a consultant. The report will include projections of costs
to customers under various funding scenarios.
Marcinko said she expects the final report by Friday, when it will be distributed to council
members. The details will be discussed publicly at the Sept. 13 council meeting.
Marcinko hopes to schedule a meeting including the legislators and representatives from
Harmony and Zelienople within the next few weeks to see what help is available from the state.
Council should vote in early October on whether to proceed with the merger, Marcinko said.
The merger discussions were initiated by Harmony, which is facing a choice between making
expensive water system repairs or selling its system to the private Pennsylvania-American Water
Co.
Zelienople has a water system that, although in need of repair, is in better condition than
Harmony's. However, Zelienople's water source, Scholars Run, has been known to dry up during
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