SOME THINGS JUST NEVER CHANGE.

COPLAY/WHITEHALL SEWER AUTHORITY FACILITY
LOCATED IN WHITEHALL NEAR THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.

                  SOME THINGS JUST NEVER CHANGE.


AN ARTICLE IN THE WHITEHALL/COPLAY PRESS, DATED
1/26/12, STATED THAT A COPLAY RESIDENT QUESTIONED THE CWSA CONDUCTING HOME INSPECTIONS FOR POSSIBLE LEAKS OF WATER SEEPAGE INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, SHE CLAIMED THAT THE INSPECTIONS ARE NOT NECESSARY AND THAT THE CWSA IS USING THE INSPECTIONS TO RAISE REVENUE. THE AUTHORITY SOLICITOR STATED THAT THE INSPECTIONS ARE BEING DONE, BUT NOBODY HAS TO PAY FOR THEM. ALSO, THE ATTORNEY STATED THAT SOME HOME OWNERS MAY HAVE TO CORRECT A PROBLEM IF ANY ARE FOUND BY THE CWSA INSPECTORS. THIS, HE STATED, COULD BE A COST ITEM FOR HOMEOWNERS. ALSO MADE KNOWN WAS THE FACT THAT THE FEDERAL EPA, (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY) MANDATES THE INSPECTIONS BE CONDUCTED. THE RESULTS OF CORRECTIVE MEASURES TAKEN OF PROBLEMS, IF ANY ARE FOUND, CAN REDUCE RAINWATER ENTERING THE SEWER SYSTEM WHICH IS TREATED AT THE ALLENTOWN SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT AND ALLENTOWN COULD THEN FOREGO AN EXPENSIVE PLANT EXPANSION. AN ARTICLE IN THE WHITEHALL/COPLAY PRESS, DATED 2/23/12, DEALT WITH A W/C PRESS REPORTER ACCOMPANYING A CWSA EMPLOYEE DURING SOME HOME INSPECTIONS. CWSA ATTORNEY JACK STOVER WAS QUOTED IN THE ARTICLE SAYING THAT THE CWSA ASKED THE EPA TO ELIMINATETHE HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTIONS, BUT THE REQUEST WAS REFUSED BY EPA. NO AUTHORITY (PUBLIC) FUNDS ARE WASTED IN THIS MANDATED OPERATION.


THE COPLAY RESIDENT MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ARTICLE WHO QUESTIONED THE INSPECTIONS IS FORMER BOROUGH COUNCIL PRESIDENT, BEVERLY MILLER.
HOW CAN ONE FORGET HOW MRS. MILLER PURSUED THE ISSUE OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 BUILDING IN COPLAY.   IT FINALLY ENDED UP IN COURT BECAUSE OF HER EFFORTS AND THE JUDGE RULED IN FAVOR OF COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 MEMBERS BEING THE OWNERS. REPORTS AT THE TIME WERE THAT $30,000 TO $40,000 OF PUBLIC FUNDS WERE WASTED IN THIS LITIGATION EFFORT. WHO CAN FORGET HOW MRS. MILLER, AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT, BLOCKADED THE PUBLIC PARKING LOT ADJACENT TO THE COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 BUILDING WHILE A FUND RAISER CRAFT SHOW WAS BEING HELD BY THE FIRE CO.? ALSO, THE ACTION OF THE COUNCIL SHE HEADED UP IN DECEMBER OF 2005 WHEN AN ORDINANCE WAS PASSED SEPERATING THE COPLAY FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM SAID COPLAY FIRE CO. NO.1.  IT ADDED FUEL TO THE FIRE OF DIVISIVENESS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE OR SINCE. LATER ON, AFTER A CHANGE IN BOROUGH ADMINISTRATION, WHEN COOLER HEADS PREVAILED, COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 TRANSFERRED OWNERSHIP OF THE ENTIRE BUILDING TO THE BOROUGH. THIS RESULTED IN THE BOROUGH LEASING THE SOCIAL QUARTERS TO CFC (COMMITMENT TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY) WITH A MONTHLY RENTAL FEE OF $300.00, PLUS THE UTILITY BILLS FOR THAT PORTION OF THE BUILDING. (COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 HAD TO GIVE UP THEIR PREVIOUS IDENTITY AS PART OF THE DEAL).


BUT, THINGS HAVEN’T REALLY CHANGED. FORMER MAYOR BILL LEINER, Jr., NOW A MEMBER OF COUNCIL, HAS TAKEN UP THE HEW AND CRY AGAINST THE CFC (FORMER FIRE CO. NO.1).  HE CLAIMS THAT THE RENTAL FEE OF $300.00 MONTHLY IS INSUFFICIENT AND SHOULD BE MUCH HIGHER. WHAT LEINER, Jr. DOESN’T MENTION IS THE FACT THAT THE BOROUGH, BY AGREEMENT, HAD ONLY PAID $300.00 A MONTH RENT FOR HOUSING THE FIRE FIGHTING VEHICLES OWNED BY THE BOROUGH, AS WELL AS, ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT AND THE FIRE FIGHTING GEAR USED BY OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS.  THIS AGREEMENT, UNLESS I AM MISTAKEN, HAD BEEN IN EFFECT FROM 1965 UNTIL THE COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 TRANSFERRED OWNERSHIP OF THE FACILITIES TO THE BOROUGH.  LEINER, Jr. HAS ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF WHAT HE CONSIDERS A TOO LOW RENTAL FEE AT EACH COUNCIL MEETING, ACCORDING TO THE MINUTES, AND WANTS MORE FINANCIAL REPORTS FROM CFC, WHICH THE BOROUGH SOLICITOR STATED CFC IS NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE UNDER THE LEASE. THE SAME BILL LEINER, Jr. HAS TAKEN PART IN THE CFC BREAKFAST AT LEAST TWICE SINCE THE ELECTION. HE HAS ALSO BEEN SEEN FLITTING FROM TABLE TO TABLE, PROBABLY POLITICKING. THE CFC HAS THE RIGHT TO DENY HIM ENTRY TO THEIR BREAKFAST, BUT THEN AGAIN, THEIR WAY OF THINKING IS PROBABLY DIFFERENT THAN LEINER, Jr’s. “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY” MENTALITY. I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE RESIDENTS OF COPLAY WILL BE AWARE AND WARY WHEN ELECTION TIME ROLLS AROUND AGAIN. REMEMBER PLEASE, THAT THREE DAYS AFTER THE NOVEMBER 2011 ELECTIONS, LEINER, Jr. MADE THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE WOULD RUN FOR COPLAY MAYOR IN 2013. THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD TIME HE WILL ATTEMPT TO LEAVE IN MID-TERM OF AN ELECTED POSITION TO SEEK SOMETHING ELSE. I WAS VERY WELL SATISFIED ON HOW JOHN MILANDER TREATED AND CONDUCTED THE POSITION OF MAYOR PRIOR TO HIS RESIGNATION FOR PERSONAL REASONS. AT THE MOMENT, I AM EQUALLY PLEASED WITH OUR CURRENT MAYOR, JOSEPH “JOE” BUNDRA. JOE WILL GROW WITH THE JOB AND I AM HOPEFUL HE WILL SERVE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE RESIDENTS OF THE CLOSEST THING TO UTOPIA, COPLAY, OF THE TREMENDOUS EFFORT PUT FORTH BY JOE IN HIS PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE IMPROVEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE TOTAL IRONTON RAIL/TRAIL, EVEN PRIOR TO HIS RETIREMENT YEARS.  LET US ALL STRIVE TO MAKE COPLAY AN EVEN BETTER PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY. LET US NOT ALLOW THE UGLY HEAD OF NEGATIVISM OR PERCEIVED AND/OR ACTUAL VENDETTAS BECAUSE OF PERSONAL AGENDAS, TO BE RAISED TO OUR COMMUNITY’S DETRIMENT. TAKE A MOMENT AND SMELL THE ROSES AND THEN TAKE ANOTHER MOMENT AND ENJOY THE TREASURE THAT WE HAVE. GOD BLESS,


FD.



THE FORMER COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1 BUILDING.
OWNERSHIP TRANSFERRED TO THE
BOROUGH OF COPLAY.
VIEW OF SOCIAL HALL SIDE OF FACILITY.




ANOTHER VIEW OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE
FIRE FIGHTING VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT
ARE DOMICILED.