Oct 10, 2025 By Paul Paterra 2 min read

Charleroi council has taken action that could eventually lead to an expansion of the board of the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi (ABC).

Council voted Wednesday to amend a resolution to alter the ABC board representation to include six members from the borough of Charleroi, as well as one each from Dunlevy, Fallowfield Township, North Charleroi and Speers serving as non-equity members. They would be appointed by the municipality’s governing body to serve five-year terms.

The motion passed by a 5-2 vote. Voting in favor were council President Kristin Hopkins, Tom Santoro, Robert Whiten Jr., Jerry Jericho and Paul Pivovarnik. Voting against were Larry Celaschi and Joe Smith.

The current board has five members, all from Charleroi. Santoro is the ABC board chairman.

The proposal now goes before the authority board, which meets Oct. 28.

“They’ll take a look at the language and see if they want to proceed with it the way it is,” said Joe Manning, borough manager.

Celaschi said the board should remain as is.

“It’s always been a Charleroi asset since the rules of incorporation (were introduced) in May of 1937,” he said. “Nothing has ever been changed. I just believe it should remain with Charleroi voting the way they have for the last 100 years.”

In 2023, council considered dissolving the authority as the borough discussed ways to generate revenue. After some contentious meetings that drew full-house crowds, council voted unanimously to accept an offer from ABC to purchase the sanitary sewage collection system, sewer lines and property for $3.75 million

Dennis Paluso, ABC general manager, was the authority’s solicitor at the time. He said some of the other municipalities the authority serves were upset that they did not have a say in the ABC matters.

“This gives other communities that we serve water and sewage a voice in the operations of the authority,” Paluso said Thursday. “Those municipalities have paid into the system just like the borough of Charleroi has for decades. We came up with an idea, through talking to our solicitor, as to how to give them a say. We think that’s an equitable resolution in the event that we have to be faced with another attempt to terminate us. Hopefully, we never will. We think the people that are paying in should weigh in on that.”

The authority serves about 27,000 residents in Charleroi and surrounding areas.

.