September 2025

Minutes

VFSA Board Meeting Minutes
September 8, 2025

The Valley Forge Sewer Authority monthly meeting was held on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. In attendance: Board members William LaPorte, Terri Woodman, David Demey, Samuel Cupp, and Richard Stipa. Also in attendance were General Manager Leonard Pinchok, Operations and Engineering Manager Matthew Jackson, 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. Woodman made a motion to approve the August 11, 2025, meeting minutes, seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

Operations Report
Mr. Jackson stated at the time of the printing of the reports that all parameters for the monitoring period of August 2025 are in accordance with the NPDES permit numerical limits. There were no permit violations or odor complaints during the month of August. All outstanding/pending reports for July 2025 were received with no violations. Mr. Jackson reported an overflow of the main scum pit on August 23, 2025. The staff and Buchart Horn are continuing efforts to complete the approved capital project for the scum pit and eliminate overflows. The project includes an additional pump and monitor system. Mr. Cupp made a motion to accept the operations report as presented, seconded by Ms. Woodman, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

Financial Report
Mr. Pinchok presented the combined statement of operations for all accounts at the end of July with a balance of $27,529,227. 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 $378,503 and the treatment plant fund actual for the month has a surplus of $515,818. The imprest fund expenditures was $383.88. Petty cash expenditures totaled $61.98. Credit card purchases for the month were $2,776.08. Accounts payable invoices totaled $433,555.62. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve agenda item B, 1 through 6, seconded by Mr. Demey, and the board unanimously approved the motion.
The financial report continued with requisitions totaling $136,478.86. The monthly Treatment Plant Construction Fund requisition expenses were $51,333.25, and the Capital Improvement Fund totaled $85,145.61. Mr. Stipa inquired about several invoices with surcharges, asking if the authority is seeking vendors within the United States, in an attempt to avoid these tariff fees. The staff will continue to seek purchasing products manufactured in the U.S.A. Mr. Stipa made a motion to approve the requisitions as presented, seconded by Mr. Cupp, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

New Business
Fall Operations and Construction Committee Meeting Dates
Mr. Pinchok will contact committee and board members to schedule an Operations and Construction Committee meeting. The committee meeting will be held prior to the October 2025 regular board meeting.

Old Business
Act 537 Special Study
Mr. Shirk has not received any feedback from PADEP. Mr. Shirk and Mr. Jackson met with several developers to give an overview of the Act 537 Plan. The new tapping fee was also discussed. As a follow-up to that meeting, the VFSA staff and Buchart Horn will schedule a meeting with East Pikeland officials to review upcoming projects slated for 2026 and beyond, including placement of a pump station to accommodate future flows. Mr. Shirk will contact PADEP for a status update on the plan.

Capital Improvement Fund Revised Budget
The “Pump Station Projects – Combined” project approved in 2024, which includes work at Valley Creek, Perkiomen, and Pothouse Pump stations, with one design and one bid, is nearly completed at full design. Over the past year, with the failure of the Valley Creek Force Main, the additional scope of rehabilitation of the force main within Valley Forge Park, and future changes around the Pothouse Pump Station related to the Act 537 Plan, these projects should be separated from the combined pump station projects. The staff is recommending the combined projects now be assigned to each pump station separately. In addition, the staff is requesting an additional $10,850 to finalize the engineering on the projects on a separate basis. Mr. Cupp made a motion to approve the funds requested for additional engineering costs as presented, seconded by Mr. Demey, and the board unanimously approved the motion.

Other
Mr. Jackson reported on several projects currently in progress. A grinder replacement at a Pothouse Pump Station has been completed. The operation building roofing project started today and is expected to be completed in six weeks. The plant is operating at full staff.
Mr. Pinchok reported the rate study project is underway and expects to have an update by the next board meeting.

Executive Session
The VFSA board entered into executive session at 7:43 pm to discuss a real estate matter. The executive session ended at 8:10pm. Mr. Pinchok reported that additional information is required relating to the real estate matter.

Adjournment
Ms. Woodman made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Stipa, and the board unanimously approved the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:12 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Dave Demey
VFSA Board Secretary