VALLEY VIEW - The Hegins-Hubley Water Authority has entered an intent-to-purchase agreement with ASA, a division of Pappetti's, a Klingerstown-based egg company, for five acres for the Act 537 plan.
"We received a call about three weeks ago from Toby Catherman who reported the company was now interested in selling the land to the authority," Paul Datte, authority solicitor, said during a recent special meeting.
Datte said the five-acre parcel was appraised for $25,000; however, Pappetti's will only sell it for $50,000. Datte said that was the lowest amount they would consider for purchasing the parcel. There will be no more negotiating.
"I believe this option is better than if we would have to go the eminent domain route," Datte said. "I believe we would end up spending much more in eminent domain simply because there are figures based on how the taking of the land would effect the company and so on."
Datte said eminent domain would involve more appraisals and they could come in higher as well, not to mention the professional fees and legal fees of the authority. Until all the paperwork would be filed and it would move through the court, Datte said the authority could be waiting a year or more for it to be final.
Datte said the agreement was sent to Pappetti's and it was signed and returned. They agreed to the authority wanting an easement to Pappetti's driveway as a safety measure.
After discussion, the board agreed to enter the land purchase agreement, which is good until Dec. 31, 2013. The authority will pay a non-refundable fee of $500 to enter the agreement, which will go toward the $50,000 purchase, which must be made by the end of the next year.
Authority member Keith Masser was concerned whether it was determined that the plot is the ideal spot for the sewage treatment plant. He suggested that an engineering firm should be hired to determine the feasibility of the land.
Datte said the authority will have 15 months to determine if this is the right site for the plant.
Jacqueline Pelaschak of Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville, said from a mechanical standpoint this appears to be an ideal site for the plant. Pelaschak said the plot is listed as the location for the plant in the Act 537 plan that was submitted to the state Department of Environmental Protection; however, she said DEP is only concerned with the site from an environmental standpoint.