Supervisors say they won’t make Monacy Manor homes connect to township system
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
West Brandywine Township Supervisors listen as residents ask them about the possibility of mandating sewer connections for Monacy Manor. From left, William Webb, Supervisors chair Josef Obernier, and Thomas McCaffrey.
WEST BRANDYWINE — The Board of Supervisors told a packed meeting Thursday night that no residents in the Monacy Manor neighborhood will be forced to connect to the township’s sewer system.
Residents of the neighborhood expressed anger that they might be compelled to connect to the system, at a cost approaching $10,000 for full installation — even if their current on-lot septic systems were fully functional. Property owners will still be compelled to connect to the system in the event their on-lot septic system fails and cannot be fixed, or the property is sold.
But supervisors appeared to reverse at least an earlier willingness to investigate creating a new sewer district for the area that would have forced sewer hookups — on Oct. 1, Supervisors’ chair Josef Obernier and supervisors William Webb and Thomas McCaffrey voted to authorize township solicitor John Good and Township Manager Ronald Rambo to investigate the creation of a new sewer district.
Subsequent public outcry and a refinancing deal to relieve the financial crisis being faced by the township’s Municipal Authority seems to have changed supervisors thinking, based on comments Thursday night.
Obernier said he and his colleagues never planned to force the sewer hookups.
“It was never the intent of the board at that time to commit to this,” Obernier said. “The issue seems to be resolved at this time. We do not plan on revisiting this.”
Later in the meeting when it seemed the residents were not entirely clear on his, or the board’s stance, he reiterated: “It is not my intention to force anyone to connect.”
Webb and McCaffrey confirmed that they both agreed and would not support forced connections.
“This board is not going to force connections on you,” Webb said.
Many from the neighborhood who packed the meeting asked for some sort of formal vote on the matter, but township officials, including Rambo, said there was nothing to vote on.
Obernier did suggest that residents consider paying the tapping fee soon — $6,013 — as he said he and his colleagues expect that price to increase in the coming years.
