February 2026

Minutes

VFSA Board Meeting Minutes

February 9, 2026

The Valley Forge Sewer Authority monthly meeting was held on Monday, February 9, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. In attendance: Board members William LaPorte, Terri Woodman, David Demey, Samuel Cupp and Martha Majewski. Also in attendance were General Manager Leonard Pinchok, Operations and Engineering Manager Matthew Jackson, Laboratory Manager Richard Taylor, and David Shirk, representing the Authority’s Engineer of Record, Buchart Horn, Inc.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public Comment 

There was no public comment.

Meeting Minutes

Ms. Majewski made a motion to approve the January 12, 2026, meeting minutes, seconded by Ms. Woodman, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

Operations Report

Mr. Taylor stated at the time of the printing of the reports that all parameters for the monitoring period of January 2026 are in accordance with the NPDES permit numerical limits. There were no permit violations during the month of January 2026. All outstanding analytical tests for December 2025 were received with no violations. There were no odor complaints reported to VFSA during January 2026. Ms. Majewski asked how odor complaints are addressed. Mr. Pinchok reviewed the history of how the authority spent many dollars for odor control systems throughout the plant. These control measures include carbon filters, aeration diffusers, and covered tanks. Any call from a customer will immediately dispatch a crew to the area of concern. Most odors are confirmed to be at the location of the call and not from the authority. Ms. Woodman made a motion to accept the operations report as presented, seconded by Ms. Majewski, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

Financial Report

Mr. Pinchok presented the combined statement of operations for all accounts at the end of December with a balance of $27,212,727. Fund balances were presented for review, including budget-to-actual summaries, where the revenue fund actual for the month is operating at a surplus of $353,118 and the treatment plant fund actual for the month has a surplus of $786,624. The imprest fund reconciliation was $499.41. Credit card purchases for the month were $3,074.90. Ms. Woodman made a motion to approve agenda item B, 1 through 6, seconded by Ms. Majewski, and the board unanimously approved the motion. The financial report continued with requisitions totaling $5,684,352.10. The monthly Treatment Plant Construction Fund requisition expenses were $171,693.10. The monthly Capital Improvement Fund requisition expenses were $5,512,659.00. Ms. Woodman made a motion to approve the requisitions as presented, seconded by Ms. Majewski, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

Mr. Pinchok noted the check for $5,440,792.50 payable to Tredyffrin Township was for the purchase of additional capacity as requested in the Act 537 Special Study Plan. Included in the documents provided to the board members was the Assignment of Sewage Treatment Capacity and Bill of Sale required to complete the transfer of additional capacity to the authority. Ms. Woodman made a motion to approve the Assignment of Sewage Treatment Capacity and Bill of Sale as presented, seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

New Business

There was no new business.

Old Business

Act 537 Special Study

Mr. Shirk reported PADEP had no additional comments on the Act 537 Special Study Plan. Mr. Shirk, VFSA staff, and East Pikeland officials met to review and discuss the potential for further planning as a result of the Schuylkill Road development area. The meeting was to determine the next steps in the planning and implementation process. VFSA requested East Pikeland to update the township’s sewer service mapping. Mr. Shirk reviewed existing projects to include the lower portion of the Schuylkill Road (Phase I) interceptor just before the French Creek Pump Station. The design phase is scheduled to be completed this year. The upper portion of the Schuylkill Road (Phase II) interceptor will be on hold until additional flows are received. East Pikeland officials will notify the authority as future projects are approved for development. The authority staff and Buchart Horn are in the process of updating technical specifications of the sewer system, including pump stations, which developers will be required to meet. A summary of meeting action items was presented for review.

Snyder Avenue Sewer Extension

The Snyder Avenue Sewer Extension project was awarded two separate grants totaling $405,000. The grant money will be used to pay for the public utility portion of the project. The authority staff is preparing the technical and administrative processes needed to manage the sewer extension project. It appears grinder pumps for each residence will be needed for flows to the sewer main. A coordinated effort between the township and the authority will continue throughout the duration of the project. The authority staff and East Pikeland officials will meet with the residents to review the sewer extension plans and share estimated costs and financing options for each homeowner.

Other

Mr. Jackson reported the past snowstorms and cold weather have caused a need for auxiliary heating in several buildings to keep from freezing. The plant staff has done a terrific job at assuring employee safety with snow plowing and shoveling of the authority property at both the administration building and pump stations. The major pump placement project is nearing completion. The last two pumps have been received and are scheduled to be installed within the next two weeks. There are eleven capital projects budgeted for 2026.  Eight projects are in progress, two are in the initial stages, and the final clarifier rehabilitation project is being prepared for bids. The collection system has ten capital projects. Six projects are in progress, while the remaining projects are expected to begin in the very near future.

Executive Session

The VFSA board entered the executive session at 7:40 pm to discuss the general manager’s performance review and personnel matters. Upon ending the executive session, the board directed Mr. Pinchok to continue handling the personnel matters as needed. The executive session ended at 8:40pm.

Adjournment

Ms. Woodman made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Ms. Majewski, and the board unanimously approved the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:41 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Dave Demey

VFSA Board Secretary