Westmoreland municipal authority to meet via telephone

The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County board will meet as scheduled Wednesday, but just how that will be done will be a bit unusual in these unusual times.

Agency Solicitor Scott Avolio said board members will call in from home or other locations to allow the water and sewer utility to conduct routine business and potentially vote to refinance up to $50 million in debt.

Though board members will not be present, the meeting will still be open to the public at the authority’s headquarters in New Stanton. Authority manager Michael Kukura will attend the meeting with other staff.

State and federal officials recommended against large gatherings and called for the closure of all non-essential businesses in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Many other government agencies and school boards have postponed or canceled public meetings.

Avolio said the decision to continue with the planned board meeting was made to ensure the utility that provides water to more than 120,000 customers in five counties is able to continue operations without issue. Board members, in addition to voting on the proposed refinancing package, are expected approve the purchase of items needed for daily functions.

Precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of staff and any residents who attend the meeting.

“The conference room is large, so there will be enough space to allow us to be socially distant,” Avolio said.

Westmoreland County commissioners this week implemented a substantial reduction in government operations starting on Wednesday with a scaled-back workforce of essential staff. They canceled a special public meeting of the county’s salary board scheduled for Thursday.

Commissioners will convene in a public session at the courthouse on Friday to formally vote on an emergency declaration signed last weekend in response to the coronavirus outbreak.