CONNECT Operations Committee Meeting Minutes

August 18th, 2009

12:00 pm
Present:
Timothy Little - Baldwin
Connie Flasher - Bellevue
Douglas Sample - Crafton
Eric Shultz - Edgewood
Mary Ellen Ramage - Etna
Joseph Ballas - Munhall
Art Victor - Pittsburgh
Mike Kenney - Robinson
Art Gazdik - Ross
Bill Etherington – West Homestead
Patrick Hassett – Pittsburgh DPW
Richard Votedian - Munhall
David Cannon - Munhall

I. Introduction of Members
Miller: Gave background on CONNECT and asked for brief introductions. The
Executive Committee met last week and the Policy Committee will be meeting Thursday.
The officers are planning an editorial board at the end of the month for publicity.
II. Designation of Chair
Miller: Are there any nominations?
Sample: I nominate Mary Ellen Ramage.
Little: Second
*Committee unanimously approves Ramage as Operations Committee Chair
Ramage: Thank you for this opportunity, I am very excited. We need better ways to
handle the economics of our communities. There are so many things this region has
lacked, and it has cost us. Together, CONNECT has a far stronger voice to lobby. Each of
our communities will benefit.
III. Summary of Executive Committee Meeting
Ramage: Review of meeting minutes (see attachment 1).
Miller: The Executive Committee is working on including inactive communities in
CONNECT. Members were designated to follow up with certain municipalities.
 At this time, there is no request for the municipalities to contribute financially. The plan
is to go back to the foundations who funded CONNECT in the fall. We are hoping to
provide support for staff.
The post-congress activity we discussed included the upcoming editorial board, the
website, and other efforts to increase visibility.
IV. Implementation of 6/19 Resolutions
Ramage: If there are no questions on the Executive Committee Meeting then we will
move on. The Operation Committee’s goal is to implement the following resolutions.
Resolution 09-15 (read) This is a major source of focus. Most of our communities are
under ALOCSAN and are facing huge expenditures. This is an issue we can work
collaboratively on to resolve.
Sample: Have we looked into contacting all the municipal engineers? We should bring
them into the conversation.
Miller: What we are doing is in conjunction with 3 Rivers Wet Weather.
Ramage: Resolution 09-16 (read) I am a strong opponent to individual feasibility
studies. This is taking it one step further. We need to plug in with ALCOSAN in this
process.
Shultz: At the Executive Committee Meeting, we discussed encouraging ALCOSAN to
increase rates to cover hole in basin area.
Ramage: We can collectively say to ALCOSAN how we would like to proceed.
Kenney: ALCOSAN will focus strictly on regional treatment of sewage.
Ramage: If we do not address with collection system, it will get worse down the road.
Miller: There is a reason for CONNECT to talk about the impact of the core.
Kenney: If we get municipal plans together and focus on collective system, we could
have a stronger voice.
Ramage: The subcommittee is a wonderful idea because they can deal with the problem
jointly.
Motion to formally adopt R9-16 list.
*Meeting adjourned at 1:30pm.

Attachment 1: Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

Attachment 2: Resolutions