Nov 11, 2022 2 min read

Representatives of the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi (BC) has reiterated their stance that they are opposed to the sale of the authority.

A press release stating just that and expressing other concerns authority members may have concerning Charleroi Council 

A possible sale of the authority has been viewed as a possible option as council looks to alleviate the debt in preparation of its 2023 budget.

The first reading of a a preliminary spending plan was presented Wednesday and contains a deficit of nearly $500,000 and a 9-mill tax increase.

Borough Manager Matt Staniszewski met with ABC representatives Tuesday to discuss a possible appraisal of the authority’s assets. However, authority members do not seem to be interested in an appraisal.

“This year, some members of council are pushing the authority to work jointly with them in an appraisal of its assets,” the press release reads. “Those same members of council claim the primary reason for the assessment is to use the authority assets to obtain larger grants and loans to aid the financially distressed municipality.”

Charles Cardinale, ABC general manager, said there is a misconception that Charleroi Borough owns assets “paid for and in the name of the independently managed Authority of the Borough of Charleroi.” 

He suggested Staniszewski research whether the borough can, indeed, use the authority’s assets to obtain various types of funding. 

“To obtain the authority’s assets, the borough of Charleroi would have to dissolve the authority in its entirety, assume all of its debt and manage the day-to-day operations,” Cardinale said. “Only then could the borough use the water and sewage assets as collateral. This drastic action would force the dissolution of service agreements the authority has with other municipalities, including the borough of Charleroi.”

Council put off voting on a portion of a memorandum of understanding concerning having Solicitor Sean Logue explore the possible dissolution of the authority until after ABC board meetings on Nov. 15 and 22. 

ABC’s board of directors passed unanimously passed a resolution Oct. 25 opposing the sale of the authority.