Springdale Township will delay making a final decision on whether to reimburse Springdale Borough $34,000 for costs incurred during a waterline replacement project several years ago.
The problem stems from 811 calls mismatched to the location of old water and natural gas lines along Butler-Logan Road in the township. The erroneous mapping occurred in a neighborhood where the homes are said to be 90 years old.
An excavator kept hitting underground lines. Township public works employees fixed the water line breakages, and People Gas was called out to repair the natural gas lines. Since it was the borough’s project, it reimbursed the contractor.
Solicitor Craig Alexander said the township commissioners agreed during an executive session to reimburse the borough. But there is a question about whether the reimbursement was ever approved during a public meeting.
Township officials said they will research past meeting minutes to see if any vote took place. There has been a near-complete overhaul of commissioners in the past several years.
Commissioner Tony Rozzano said there has been no documentation or photographs of the lines breakages.
Commissioners vice president Tim Basilone said the motion to pay should be tabled until further evidence is produced.
Alexander is the solicitor for both the borough and the township. Should the matter reach court, Alexander would have to step away and each municipality would have to appoint a solicitor to handle the case.
