On July 9, the Chester Township Board of Trustees conducted two special meetings and one regular meeting. The first special meeting was with the township’s Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) third party administrator, CareWorks Comp, to receive an update on the status of the township under the BWC Group Retro Program.
With its current favorable safety performance, and presuming it continues on the same path, the township is projected to recognize savings of $50,214 with reimbursement payments beginning in 2017. For 2016, Chester’s Bureau of Workers Compensation rate is expected to be the same as 2015, which is great news, given its injury history, as the township was experiencing over 30 percent year-over-year rate increases the last two years. Trustees then approved a motion to continue its working relationship with CareWorks Comp.
The second special meeting began with an executive session with the board of trustees, the fiscal officer and representatives from human resources management consulting firm Clemans Nelson and Associates. The topic of discussion was the upcoming negotiations with township unions.
As part of this public meeting, a second executive session was held discussing possible employment of a new zoning administrative assistant. In public session, the board, at the recommendation of the zoning commission and board of zoning appeals, approved the hiring of Chester resident Theresa O’Leary for this position and we wish her well in service to the township.
The regular board meeting began at 7 p.m. The Chester Township Recycling Committee gave a detailed presentation on the viability of the old Chester School site as a township-owned and committee-managed recycle park. Construction costs, fencing, landscape mounds, neighbor impact, lighting and security were part of their detailed analysis. The public, the board and the recycle committee engaged in a good discussion and ultimately, the trustees by majority vote approved $27,550 for the relocation of the recycling bins. Trustees look forward to this project and thank the recycle committee members for their efforts and the Kiwanis for their willingness to help construct the recycle park.
In other business, the board approved the purchase of 300 tons of salt by participating in the Community University Education Purchasing Association (CUE). This action provided trustees a favorable hedge against open market salt prices last year and participation also provides the township an alternate supplier of salt.
Chris McCormick was hired as firefighter/paramedic for the township and trustees welcome him to Chester. In an effort to keep overall costs lower, wage continuation rather than compensation was approved for an injured firefighter through Aug. 11, 2015. This option was chosen based on a financial analysis and the recommendations of CareWorks Comp.
The board also approved motions to place four renewal levies on the ballot in the fall. There will be more information on this process in future government update articles.
The board continued discussion regarding a request to expand the county’s 208 Sewer District plan to incorporate property under the power lines as part of a proposed building construction.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Ken Radtke, Bud Kinney, Mike Petruziello, Craig Richter
Chester Township Officials