53 P.S. § 57440 Building Joint Sewers

• Library: Pennsylvania Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.A. Acts 2023-21
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 53 P.S. § 57440

(a) Townships may jointly with cities, boroughs or other townships build and construct sewers, including trunk-line sewers or drains and sewage treatment works, and may connect into such system existing sewers, and may assess their respective portions of the cost thereof, or so much thereof as may be legally assessable, upon property benefited by the improvement as is provided in the case of townships by sections two thousand four hundred eight, two thousand four hundred nine, and two thousand four hundred ten of this act. Any portion of the cost of such an improvement not assessed or not assessable shall be paid by the respective townships, cities, and boroughs joining as may be agreed upon.

(b) The townships, cities, and boroughs joining or contemplating joining in any such improvement, in order to facilitate the building of the same and securing preliminary surveys and estimates, may by ordinance provide for the appointment of a joint sewer board composed of one representative from each of the townships, cities, and boroughs joining which shall act generally as the advisory and administrative agency in the construction of such improvement, and its subsequent operation and maintenance. The members of such board shall serve for terms of six years each from the dates of their respective appointments, and until their successors are appointed. The board shall organize by the election of a chairman, secretary, and treasurer. The several townships, cities, and boroughs may, in the ordinances creating the board, authorize the board to appoint an engineer, a solicitor, and such other assistants as are deemed necessary; and agree to the share of the compensation of such persons each township, city, and borough is to pay. The members of the board shall receive such compensation for attending meetings of the board as shall be fixed in the budget, prepared by the board for submission to, and adoption by, the several townships, cities, and boroughs, as hereinafter provided, and the budget item providing for the compensation to members for attending meetings shall not exceed a total of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) per year, and no member shall be paid unless he actually attends, and the fee for each such attendance shall be stipulated, and the members, in addition thereto, shall be entitled to actual expenses to be paid by the respective townships, cities, and boroughs which such members represent.

(c) The board shall have power to adopt rules and regulations to govern its proceedings, and shall prepare and suggest any practical measures and plans by means of which the joint improvement may be carried to successful completion; and plan the future development of the system, so as to conform to a general plan. It shall have power to prepare a joint agreement or agreements for submission to and adoption by the several townships, cities, and boroughs defining the advisory and administrative powers of the board; setting forth the consents of the several townships, cities, and boroughs to the proposed improvement; the manner in which preliminary and final plans, specifications, and estimates for the proposed improvement shall be prepared and adopted; how proposals for bids shall be advertised, and contracts let; the manner in which the costs of the improvement and other incidental and preliminary expenses in connection therewith, and the future cost of operation and maintenance shall be equitably shared, apportioned, and paid; and all such other matters including the preparation and submission of annual and other budgets, as may be deemed necessary or required by law, to carry the proposed improvement to completion and to assure future maintenance and operation thereof. But nothing herein contained shall authorize the board to make any improvement or expend any public moneys which has not first been authorized by all of the townships, cities, and boroughs proceeding with the improvement.