Jul 11, 2018 2 min read

In what might have been the shortest testimony ever in Washington County Court, an expert witness took an oath to speak the truth Wednesday morning and identified himself as Lawrence J. Lennon.

And that’s all he said.

Canonsburg-Houston Joint Authority solicitor Steven Toprani objected to Lennon, a water resources engineer, testifying about the history of the authority and its proposed rate increase.

Toprani said he hadn’t been notified about the depth of Lennon’s potential testimony, which was to include a PowerPoint presentation and delving into documents, calling it “trial by ambush.”

Hours of discussion outside the courtroom ensued, and as afternoon arrived, Judge Michael Lucas set a schedule for the parties to keep talking, noting that as the litigants continue to meet, his temporary halting of a sewer rate increase remains in effect.

The rates were set to more than double July 1, but representatives of North Strabane, Cecil and Chartiers townships took the matter to court in late June.

Lucas, citing a concern that proper procedure be followed when setting new rates, issued a temporary injunction and scheduled Wednesday as a date for a full hearing, which, in the end, did not take place.

The new deadlines hammered out Wednesday by the parties include a status conference Sept. 7 and an Oct. 8 court date, if needed.

Lead attorney Romel L. Nicholas, who represents those who sought the injunction, said afterward he had not laid an “ambush,” calling Toprani an “able trial lawyer who is entitled to his opinion.”

Canonsburg-Houston Joint Authority has about 16,000 customers whose base charge, under the proposed rate increase, would rise from $5.38 per 1,000 gallons to $11.57.

Nicholas, as someone who has monitored sewer authority bills for 35 years, previously said he considers an increase of this magnitude to be “off the charts.”

Lucas mentioned part of the municipalities’ discussion should be whether the parties pursue “some type of mediation or conciliation.”