After continuing its now twice-monthly discussions about the borough's huge new project for its wastewater treatment plant's trickling filter media replacement, the Slatington Borough Authority also touched Monday on some ideas of how to make its massive responsibilities more manageable.

As had been hoped for during March's end-of-the-month meeting, a borough council member, Bryon Reed, attended the authority's meeting.First, sewer plant operator Stefan Myers told the authority the trickling filter media started on April 22 and reported on other plant news. Afterward, Vice Chairman Laurie Dart-Schnaufer addressed some questions to Reed.She noted that council is currently seeking a borough manager."To what extent are you anticipating this borough manager can help the authority?" she asked."We (in the authority) have an awful lot of administrative functions that we're doing that actually none of us, as volunteers, have the time to put in to take care of," Dart-Schnaufer said."We rely on David (Frederick, assistant treasurer) for as much as we can and then we end up relying on Ed (Healy, solicitor) as the historian and (because he) has been involved so much. Are you dedicating any time of the borough manager to this part?"Reed said he was uncertain of that answer but that he believed some of the past borough managers' responsibilities did "overlap" with those of the authority since "there are some things that just tie together." He said the final decision rests with council.Healy added that, "In the past, the manager was always a tremendous bridge between the authority and the council and, frankly, the sewer committee," especially in regard to budgeting, communication and planning needs."It would just be terrific if the manager was given some priority to be that liaison," he said, since authority members often hold down daily jobs to support their families and, thus, do not have time for all of its responsibilities.Dart-Schnaufer agreed, noting that, as a volunteer, she feels very badly "when I'm not able to commit the time that I need to this."She suggested the authority may even need to hire a paid employee.Healy and Reed both said they believe the increase in the authority's responsibilities came about in the last few years because of the borough's desire to take advantage of some time-sensitive grants; thus, the authority now has many more projects."In the past, (the authority's) budgets were real small … you were never at a $50,000 a year budget," Reed said, adding that it may even be beneficial to make the authority a "working authority.""You're at a crossroads," noted Healy, "(and the question is) where do we want to go next?"