An outgoing West Penn Township official doesn’t believe the township should be billed for meetings that were never held.

Chairman Tony Prudenti read a letter at Monday morning’s board of supervisors meeting in accordance with the concerns shared by outgoing Supervisor Ted Bogosh.

In his letter, Bogosh, who serves as chairman of the West Penn Township Water Resource and Planning Steering Committee, noted that Urban Research was awarded a contract on Oct. 17, 2017.

Bogosh said the contract called for 12 meetings and the public meetings at a cost of $19,500, and that if additional meetings were called for, it would be an additional $450 per meetings, plus costs.

He said that volunteers were gathered to appoint 14 people to the steering committee, but that by the fourth to sixth meetings, volunteer attendance had dropped to about five or six committee members who continued to push for details and completion of revisions up to that point.

However, Bogosh said that no updates were provided on work progress by Urban Research.

Bogosh said that October 2018 was the first of the 12 meetings projected, plus public presentation and comments to formulate a complete revised zoning plan.

He said the changes the steering committee recommended would eventually be included in Urban Research revisions, but that an estimated loss of four productive meetings resulted in further discussion re-requesting revisions.

“Thus, no progress was made, and now West Penn Township will be charged (an) additional $450 and expenditures per meeting for the November and December meetings,” Bogosh said. “There is potential for further expenditures in the future.”

Bogosh said the steering committee’s objective was to simplify and streamline the zoning ordinance in an effort to make it less difficult for residents to build, expand and remodel, as well as to encourage new businesses to find locations within the township more easily.

Further, he said the final draft has not been reviewed or accepted by the steering committee at present.

Afterward, board solicitor Paul J. Datte said he would have to take a look at the contract.

The West Penn Township Water Resource and Planning Steering Committee will next meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 13, at which time it plans to review a draft of the zoning ordinance.